The New York City administration has deployed drones on the beaches to monitor sharks and prevent them from attacking the beachgoers. However, aggressive birds at the beach have been attacking drones deployed by the city at a popular Queens beach, prompting emergency teams to alter their flight paths.
American oystercatchers, long-beaked shorebirds that nest on the Queens shoreline during summer, have been dive-bombing the three-foot drones to protect their eggs. "They will fly at it, they’ll swoop at it, they’ll be vocalizing," said Veronica Welsh, a wildlife coordinator at the Parks Department. "They think they’re defending their chicks from a predator."
The drones, which emit a loud humming sound, stress the birds, classified as a “high conservation concern,” causing them to flee from their eggs, according to wildlife experts. The city’s police, fire, and emergency management departments have rerouted the drones away from bird nests to mitigate the conflict.
Surfer Andrew Thomas, 32, highlighted the drones' importance for safety, recalling how a drone recently detected a shark, prompting a closure at Rockaway Beach. "The more eyes in the water, the better," he said. "If a drone saves one life, it’s doing the job."
Some beachgoers note that the bird attacks usually occur when drones are close to shore. "It’s usually when the drone gets close to land and on a sunny day," said Doran Edwards, a 40-year-old surfer. "If it’s over the water, they’re not going close to [the drones.]"
FDNY Commissioner Laura Kavanagh assured that the new drone routes will not compromise beach safety. "We definitely have enough space on the beach. So as soon as we realized that we might have been close to a habitat …we were able to adjust," she said.
The black-and-white American oystercatchers, distinguished by their bright orange beaks, share their habitat with piping plovers, a sand-colored bird designated as an endangered species. "We do know there are birds on this beach that are highly endangered. If they abandon their nests because of the drones, that would be a disaster," said David Bird, a professor of wildlife biology at McGill University.
The city's Emergency Management Department first noticed the bird-drone conflict. "We pointed out that there’s a nest here and there’s two angry parents who don’t want you anywhere near their eggs or their babies," said Natalie Grybauskas, Emergency Management Department assistant commissioner.
The Parks Department is coordinating with the NYC Department of Emergency Management, FDNY, and NYPD to ensure both beachgoers' safety and the protection of local wildlife. Despite the adjustments, the fire department's drones continue to capture vital footage, such as lifeguards assisting swimmers swept away by rip tides.
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