Environmental work boosts fears of bird strikes at Teterboro airport

A massive project to restore a wildlife habitat in the Meadowlands has raised fears of increased bird strikes at nearby Teterboro Airport, which already has the highest rate of hits in the region.

The Federal Aviation Administration said more migratory birds would be drawn to the 250-acre plot of wetlands in the Richard P. Kane Natural Area, creating a "threat to public safety."

Teterboro averaged five bird strikes per 10,000 landings and departures last year, more than double the rate at Newark Liberty International and La Guardia airports, according to an analysis by The Record. Teterboro's 651 recorded bird strikes since 2000 is more than any airport in the region except John F. Kennedy — despite having hundreds of thousands fewer departures and arrivals.