That’ll Teach Them

Inasmuch as birds can “learn,” the City plans to teach them:

“The serious dangers that Canada geese pose to aviation became all too clear when geese struck US Airways Flight 1549,” Mayor Bloomberg said Thursday in announcing the aggressive plan.

“The incident served as a catalyst to strengthen our efforts in removing geese from — and discouraging them from nesting on — city property near our runways.”

Federal wildlife officials will be dispatched to net and euthanize the molting birds over the next few weeks at 40 city parks and other locations near LaGuardia and Kennedy airports.

In addition, the Port Authority will train and arm supervisors to shoot the birds in an emergency situation.

Over the past six years, more than 1,200 geese have been netted and gassed on nearby Rikers Island in an effort to reduce the population and potentially dangerous collisions with planes.

But after a bird strike forced Flight 1549 to land in the Hudson River, there were calls for tougher measures.

Deputy Mayor Ed Skyler said the city will contract with the U.S. Agriculture Department to round up the geese and share the cost with the Port Authority.

“They have experience at Rikers,” Skyler said. “They know how to do it as humanely as possible.”

Geese will be targeted at Flushing Meadows Corona Park and Fort Totten.

I expect to see the numbers killed the next Mayor’s Management Report . . .