Airporter Shuttle Helping Save Birds of Prey
A Great Horned Owl, the first raptor transported by Airporter Shuttle. Photo by Joel Litwin
Airporter Shuttle is now a proud participant in Sea-Tac Airport’s Raptor Strike Avoidance Program, helping save birds of prey and aircraft from potentially dangerous air strikes.
The program is a partnership between the Port of Seattle and Skagit Valley’s Falcon Research Group. As part of the Port’s Wildlife Management Program, wildlife biologist Steve Osmek and staff monitor and trap raptors (hawks, owls, eagles, falcons, etc.) and transport them to Skagit County aboard Airporter Shuttle buses, where Bud Anderson and volunteers at Falcon Research Group measure, tag and release the birds into the beautiful wilderness of the Skagit Valley.
“We are very pleased and excited to be involved in the program,” said Larry Wickkiser of Airporter Shuttle. “It’s great to be able to help save these majestic birds and also reduce the danger to aircraft.”
Airporter Shuttle has transported over a dozen raptors so far, including Red-tailed Hawks, Cooper’s Hawks, and Great Horned Owls.
More information available at www.airporter.com/raptors .
