The documentary "The Snowy Owls of Logan Airport" showcases Norman Smith's long-term efforts to study and protect snowy owls, which migrate to Logan Airport each winter. Smith, working since 1981, highlights the mysterious reasons behind their journey from the Arctic to this busy hub. With 1,800 acres of fields that mimic their tundra habitat and abundant food sources, the airport serves as a unique winter refuge for these birds. Initiatives were established for bird management after past bird strikes, with Smith advocating humane methods for their safety, rather than lethal measures.
"They fly 3,000 miles just to get here," he says. "We don't know why they come down to the Boston area. Logan Airport has the highest concentration of snowy owls in the Northeast that we know of."
Logan Airport comprises 1,800 acres of open fields, resembling the tundra they call home, full of rats and mice to eat. And three sides, water provides another ample source of food.
Programs like the one at Logan Airport have been in place for decades following tragic incidents in which jet engines ingested birds, causing the planes to crash.
Smith is committed to a much more humane solution: moving them to safety.
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