A JetBlue flight from Westchester to Fort Meyers was diverted to Kennedy Airport after the plane hit a bird shortly after takeoff, the Associated Press reported.

The flight left from Westchester County Airport in White Plains, a New York City suburb Thursday morning and was bound for Fort Meyers, Fla.

"Out of an abundance of caution, the aircraft diverted to John F. Kennedy airport for inspection and landed safely at 8:25 AM," JetBlue said in a statement Thursday.

Passengers switched to another plane and arrived in Fort Meyers about 12:45 p.m., two hours later than originally planned.

There were no injuries or mechanical problems reported in the emergency landing, according to WABC Queens.

Officials say bird strikes - whenever an airborne animal collides with an aircraft - occur about 10,000 times a year, but recently such incidents have taken special notice in New York since the "Miracle on the Hudson" took place.

In 2009, Capt. Chesley Sullenberger landed his plane successfully in the Hudson River after a flock of geese was sucked into both engines of U.S Airways flight 1549 out of LaGuardia. All 155 passengers were reported safe and were taken to land by rescue boats after Capt. Sullenberger could not reach an air base.

CBS New York reported earlier this year that JetBlue returned two flights after being struck by birds. No injuries were reported in either instance.

In 2010, nearly 1,700 Canadian geese were gathered together and killed in New York City, but animal rights groups said those efforts would not reduce birds striking aircraft.

According to the Federal Aviation Administration, "over $600 million dollars annually is lost due to wildlife strikes with civil aircraft in the United States alone."

Inquisitr.com posted an article about a flight that was diverted last week due to a dramatically different reason. The pilot of an Air Canada flight from Calgary to Newark, New Jersey reportedly freaked out and demanded the plane be landed. The pilot restrained in a seat while the plane landed in Toronto. He was treated for an un-diagnosed medical condition upon landing.