Patrick J.

Foye Executive Director Port Authority of New York and New Jersey 225 Park Avenue South New York, NY 10003 December 9, 2013 Dear Director Foye, Audubon New York, the state program of the National Audubon Society, and New York City Audubon are deeply concerned with the recent news reports regarding an order issued by the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey (PANYNJ) regarding Snowy Owls management at John F. Kennedy International Airport. While we understand the need to protect airline and passenger safety, we are concerned that, according to the news reports, this new order directs that the airport pursue lethal control of Snowy Owls before exploring non-lethal alternatives. Typically an Artic bird, Snowy Owls tend to move south into the Northeast during the winter when food availability in other parts of their range is low. This year a larger that normal influx of Snowy Owls has been reported in the region with many sightings over their preferred foraging habitat: large open fields. While we understand that due to their large size these birds may pose a threat to air safety, other airports including Bostons Logan Airport have utilized non-lethal control techniques such as trapping to manage the larger than normal occurrence of Snowy Owls. We strongly urge for a similar type of non-lethal approach to be instituted at JFK airport before resulting to lethal means, and would like to discuss this issue with you or the appropriate staff further. Audubon New York and New York City Audubon have been partners with the airport in the past, and would like to continue to be a resource for wildlife management activities involving birds. Please provide a copy of the order referenced in the news reports and contact Sean Mahar of Audubon New York (smahar@audubon.org / 518-669-1768) to schedule a call regarding the management of Snowy Owls at JFK airport and other PANYNJ facilities. Thank you for your prompt attention to this important matter. Sincerely,

Erin M. Crotty Executive Director Audubon New York

Glenn Phillips Director New York City Audubon

Cc: Jerry Spampanato, General Manager JFK International Airport