Why Snowy Owls Keep Flying to Boston’s Airport—and the Man Who Saves Them

Since 1981, Norman Smith has been on a very specific mission: relocating snowy owls from one of the busiest airports in the United States.

Each winter, snowy owls migrate south from the Arctic, and for reasons scientists still don’t fully understand, many of them are drawn to Boston’s Logan International Airport. In fact, the airport has the largest concentration of snowy owls in northeastern North America.

Over the decades, Smith has become so successful at safely capturing and relocating the birds that he has personally moved more than 900 snowy owls. His work has earned him the nickname “the Owl Man of Logan Airport.”

Beyond his hands-on efforts, Smith also developed a relocation protocol that is now used by airports across the United States and Canada to manage wildlife conflicts while protecting the birds.

In the fascinating video below, Smith explains more about snowy owls, their behaviors, and why they continue to return to Logan Airport year after year.

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