Hundreds of Birds Poisoned and Killed at Houston Airport

Those who were at Bush Intercontinental Airport in Houston this past weekend may have noticed something very strange and disturbing happening to the birds there. 

Pigeons and grackles by the hundreds were falling to the ground and in some cases convulsing for up to an hour before dying. According to a KHOU report, this event was part of a planned 'abatement project' organized by the airport and United Airlines. 20 different bait trays were placed throughout the terminals of the airport over this past weekend. Corn kernels that were laced with the toxic agent Avitrol were placed in these trays.

It is common knowledge that birds can be a major hazard to airplanes. There have been many documented cases where birds have been sucked into jet turbines and have caused airliners to land prematurely, and in some cases even crash land, such as the 2009 landing in New York's Hudson River. So, at issue, according to some, is not the decreasing of the bird population but the manner in which it was done.

Videos showing birds seizing and convulsing before their death have caught the attention of representatives of the Humane Society and the Mayor of Houston, Annise Parker.  According to KHOU, Mayor Parker has promised to look into the matter to see if a better resolution can be reached for future projects.

Do you think this method of bird abatement is inhumane?