Some days when you turn on the news, it’s all just too much, so it was nice to stumble on an old YouTube video of something wonderful. Someone doing good things in the world. Something not negative.
Meet Norman Smith, the owl man of Logan airport. Specifically, the snowy owl man. Owls have been an ongoing problem for airports along the east coast especially Logan airport’s due to it’s flat tundra like environment and by being surrounded on three sides by water, reminding them of their home in the arctic. They come on by for a visit every year.
But now, thanks to this man, the way the airports deal with them has changed for the better. In the past, the problem was solved by the airport having people go out and shooting and killing these beautiful creatures. But times have changed, and I’m so relieved it has.
Photo by Mark Kent, Creative Commons
Norman Smith, now 73, is a raptor specialist who has worked for the Audubon for decades and who also started the The Snowy Owl Project. Smith created the protocols to safely remove the owls as well as a special net trapping system to help catch and protect these owls at the airport. He bands them for study and releases them. He has now dedicated 43 years to these owls and has saved at least 900 owls to date. Amazing.
Other airports were slower to catch on to these protocols. In 2014 New York’s JFK shot 50 to 60 of these creatures and when the press caught wind, they too adopted these protocols.
In 2023 and 24’ these owls numbers were decimated by the bird flu and climate change, every safe owl from Logan may mean this species will survive.
Snowy owls don’t have exact fixed migration routes they travel from the Arctic to the North East based on food sources, which we seem to have in abundance for them to return here.
Everyone should find out how their airports are handling wildlife. Have an active voice in their safety.
Norman Smith is a hero to me and if you’d like to learn more about his work you can check out this short documentary by Anna Miller.
Have a great Tuesday everyone…
Sasysquatchgirl 