By AP/KWMU
St. Louis, MO. – A large flock of migratory birds temporarily shut down the radar system at St. Louis' Lambert Airport Wednesday, forcing Kansas City to pick up the slack.
The FAA says about 3,000 birds, probably geese, passed through Lambert Airport at 7 a.m., but the airport's radar perceived them as 3,000 aircraft.
That shut down the St. Louis radar system, forcing the airport to resort to a local backup. But that had its own problems.
The FAA's Kansas City Center had to take over temporarily until the
St. Louis backup system was up and running.
The FAA says it's working on technology to help radar systems discern birds from airplanes. For now, the equipment can't make the distinction.