"Shooting of Logan airport swan draws many complaints"

Monday, September 23, 2002

Shooting of airport swan draws many complaints
The Boston (MA) Globe


The routine culling of birds by Logan Airport officials from the waters
near a runway has prompted a slew of complaints from Winthrop residents
who insist a favorite swan with a mate and four cygnets was killed
unnecessarily. 

Harbor Master Charles Famolare said he has received about 20 phone calls
since the bird was shot on Sept. 13 by Massachusetts Port Authority
officials trying to keep airspace clear for planes.

The bird was shot because ''it was an imminent threat at that moment''
to a landing airplane, said Jose Juves, spokesman for Massport. A
warning shot to scare the swan was fired first from the service road at
the edge of runway 22L, Juves said, but the swan didn't leave the area.

Famolare said the bird had lived in the waters near Winthrop for two
years. For the second year in a row it was raising four cygnets with its
mate. ''As far as I can see there was no need for it whatsoever,'' said
Famolare. ''That bird just sat beside the airport, it never flew up near
the runway.'' 

Juves said that Massport often finds it necessary to kill birds that
could fly into jet engines and cause malfunctions. Usually the
casualties are starlings or seagulls, he said.


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