Meet the Man Who’s Rescued Over 900 Snowy Owls from Boston’s Airport
For more than ten years, a passionate bird lover has been quietly working to protect one of winter’s most iconic creatures—the snowy owl. Norman Smith, a raptor specialist with the Massachusetts Audubon Society, has helped safely relocate over 900 snowy owls from Boston Logan International Airport, giving them a second chance to thrive after their seasonal migration.
Smith’s journey with these majestic birds began in 1981 when he rescued his first snowy owl from an airport runway. Decades later, his work has become the subject of The Snowy Owls of Logan Airport, a recent documentary by Anna Miller that won the Audience Choice Award at the American Conservation Film Festival.
Though most people associate snowy owls with the Arctic, Boston Logan’s landscape provides a surprisingly familiar environment.
“It looks very much like the Arctic tundra,” Smith told CBS Boston. “The grass is kept short, like in the Arctic, and it’s surrounded by water on three sides—so there’s plenty of food.”
However, the similarities also bring dangers. Snowy owls are drawn to Logan by its tundra-like features, but it’s no safe haven. From turbine engines and snow melters to fences and power lines, the airport presents numerous threats. One owl even lost its feathers after perching on a snow-melting machine.
When an owl is injured, Smith transports it to the Blue Hills Trailside Museum in Milton for treatment. Some are eventually released back into the wild; others, unable to return to nature, find a home where the public can meet them at Mass Audubon’s facilities.
The five islands that make up East Boston actually host the highest concentration of snowy owls in the northeastern U.S. during winter. Smith’s efforts help ensure that these visitors make it through the season safely.
“It’s been an amazing experience to follow these birds—to see where they go, how they live, and what we can learn from them,” Smith shared. “Together, we can better understand, appreciate, and care for the world around us.”