Court: NYC Airports Can Kill Almost Any Bird They Want To Protect Planes

A bird of prey clomes close to a landing Boeing plane at the airport in Frankfurt am Main, Germany, 5 January 2016. By building Terminal 3, airport operator Fraport will create capacity for more passengers in the fut... A bird of prey clomes close to a landing Boeing plane at the airport in Frankfurt am Main, Germany, 5 January 2016. By building Terminal 3, airport operator Fraport will create capacity for more passengers in the future. Photo by: Boris Roessler/picture-alliance/dpa/AP Images MORE LESS

NEW YORK (AP) — A federal appeals court in Manhattan says the operator of New York City’s airports has the legal right to kill migratory birds when necessary to protect planes.

The 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals said Tuesday that the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey was within its rights to kill nearly any migratory bird in emergency situations.

The appeals court recounted several “near-catastrophes” over the years at LaGuardia Airport and John F. Kennedy Airport, including a 2009 Hudson River emergency landing after a bird strike.

The ruling upholds a 2014 decision by a Brooklyn judge. It rejects an appeal filed by Friends of Animals. The group sued after three snowy owls were killed in 2013.

Birds can shatter windshields, dent fuselages and shut down engines.

Copyright 2016 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

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  1. Avatar for imkmu3 imkmu3 says:

    Why doesn’t Friends of Animals sue cat owners that allow their pets to wander outside? Or perhaps fight to pass ordinances disallowing domesticated cats to wander outside. If you are really concerned about about bird deaths than lets talk about bird deaths.

  2. Avatar for condew condew says:

    So I guess you cant disguise your drone as a goose. In the DC area drones are illegal within 30 miles of National airport. Toys are scary to the feds. So how far out does this right to kill any scary bird go?

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