If you heard loud "bangs" near the Panama City Airport Thursday, it was not related to any new terror warnings or emergency training. It was for the birds.
Airport officials were creating noise to scare off some egrets. Birds striking aircraft can cause sever damage, even crashes. Airports are permitted to remove any potential wildlife danger from the runways and air-space.
Officials use a variety of techniques from noisemakers to dogs to scare away birds and other wildlife, and when needed airport officials are licensed to kill certain birds.
"We try to plant grass not attractive to wildlife," says Randy Curtis, the airport executive director.
Curtis says bird strikes cause about $600 million in aircraft damage every year.
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