The report recommended prohibiting or limiting overflights, especially over the high concentrations of birds on the barrier spit. As of November 1993, military overflights continued to be a problem at Back Bay. Refuges listed based on Defenders of Wildlife research are indicated in bold . Our experience in the past on Okefenokee and Banks Lake Refuges has been that the military aircraft utilizing both areas pay little attention to agreements, MOU's, charts, etc. The MOU with the military expired in 1990, and, as of November 1993, military overflights continued to be a problem at Banks Lake.
Military overflights affect sandhill cranes, bald eagles, ducks, geese, and American white pelicans.
FWS pilots are also concerned about their own safety while conducting aerial wildlife research. As of December 1993, military overflights continued to be a problem at Malheur. Although the military has expressed substantial interest in resolving overflight concerns, helicopters still occasionally fly over the refuge causing major disturbances to waterfowl.