Fire Island Lighthouse Preeminent in Bird-Strike History

The still classic lighthouse at Fire Island is distinctive for many reasons, among which is its prominent place in the first-known history of bird strikes along the eastern Atlantic Ocean shore.

"The light is of the first order, flashing white every minute; is 168 feet above the level of the sea, and is visible 19 ¼ nautical miles. It is located on the east side of Fire Island Inlet, south side of Long Island, N.Y."

Due to the attention and efforts of the eventually reknowned William Dutcher - chairman of the American Ornithologists' Union Committee on the Protection of North American Birds, and founder of the National Association of Audubon Societies - the deadly impacts which occurred at this site can still be considered. When Dutcher wrote about this place and what it meant to migratory birds based on his focus of attention, it presented the particulars of variety of birds which struck the structure and were killed more than a century and 25 years in the past, during the first years of North America's burgeoning history of birds.

"For the purpose of determining the date of migration, the species migrating, and the numbers that are destroyed by striking a light-house during a spring and fall migration, I have for the past two years received all the birds killed by flying against the Fire Island Light."

His published results convey the detail needed to indicate a set of 751 records for 1882 and 1883 which document in detail the species and numbers which struck the light-house and were killed and then documented. This one of the article he prepared which dealt with bird notes from Long Island during this period.

This information could not have been determined without the able effort to gather the many carcasses by C.A. Blydenburgh, First Assistant Keeper, during 1882 and spring 1883, then by S.R. Hubbard, Keeper, during the autumn of 1883. These two men apparently searched for and gathered dead birds and sent them to Dutcher, who made an identification and eventually prepared the article published in the first volume of the Auk, at that time just a fledgling journal of ornithology.

The article included brief notations for some of the dates, especially on the wind conditions and its prevalent direction. There were a few other interesting notes:

May 9 records, with note from morning of May 10: "I send you thirteen birds which struck against the tower last night. A great many struck, but these are the only dead ones.

May 18 and 19; note on May 20: "I forward you ten birds which struck during the past two nights. Quite a number more struck, but it was impossible to get them. Many fall in the grass at some distance from the foot of the tower, and cannot be found until after they are spoiled."

Deadly Place on the Long Island Beach

There were more than 750 individual birds that were denoted in the article, with 65 species represented, plus a gull and scoter. There were 37 types which had more than one instance of a bird strike. The species were listed by scientific name, which has been updated to current avian nomenclature.

Common Name - Overall Number Noted Blackpoll Warbler - 244 Red-eyed Vireo - 63 Black-throated Blue Warbler - 49 Dark-eyed Junco - 38 Common Yellowthroat - 34 Veery - 32 Swainson's Thrush - 31 Savannah Sparrow - 28 White-eyed Vireo - 22 Northern Parula - 19 Scarlet Tanager - 19 Yellow-rumped Warbler - 18 Connecticut Warbler - 16 Northern Waterthrush - 16 Ovenbird - 15 Black-billed Cuckoo - 9 Gray-cheeked Thrush - 8 Fox Sparrow - 5 Sora - 5

American Redstart - 4 Eastern Phoebe - 4 Swamp Sparrow - 4 White-throated Sparrow - 4 Gull - 3 Gray Catbird - 3 Ruby-crowned Kinglet - 3 Song Sparrow - 3 American Robin - 2 Black-throated Green Warbler - 2 Brown Thrasher - 2 Cedar Waxwing - 2 Common Goldeneye - 2 Eastern Towhee - 2 Hermit Thrush - 2 Long-tailed Duck - 2 Pine Siskin - 2 Snow Bunting - 2 Pine Warbler - 2 Yellow Warbler - 2

These are those species which had one known instance mentioned in the bird-strike records listed in the article: American Golden-Plover, American Pipit, American Tree Sparrow, Belted Kingfisher, Black Scoter, Black-and-white Warbler, Blackburnian Warbler, Blue-headed Vireo, Bobolink, Canada Warbler, Chipping Sparrow, Clapper Rail, Common Tern, Golden-crowned Kinglet, Greater Scaup, Greater Yellowlegs, Horned Lark, Lincoln's Sparrow, Magnolia Warbler, Prairie Warbler, Red-breasted Merganser, Red-necked Grebe, Scoter, Seaside Sparrow, Spotted Sandpiper, White-crowned Sparrow, Yellow-bellied Sapsucker, Yellow-throated Vireo.

For further consideration of the historic observations, the records were entered into a database and each date of occurrence was converted to a Julian date, to determine and evaluate those days when the strikes occurred during the year, and when the greater number of recorded strikes took place, as this is a means to indicate a "calendar" of when bird strikes occur during the year.

Historic view of the Fire Island Lighthouse. Courtesy of Wikipedia.

Julian Date - Number of Instances

5 - 1

13 - 2

24 - 1

45 - 1

58 - 1

62 - 1

94 - 7

97 - 2

101 - 1

104 - 2

129 - 11

135 - 14; 15 May 1883

139 - 9

141 - 5; 21 May 1882

Apparently there were no records for the approximately nine-week period from the last week of May to mid-August.

225 - 1; 13 August 1882

226 - 1

232 - 1

241 - 1

244 - 1

246 - 4

252 - 20

Overall, September 30th was the deadliest date recorded, with a multitude of carcasses found and identified for this time during the autumn migration. This was the denoted tally for the 11 species: American Golden-Plover - 1 Black-billed Cuckoo - 9 Blackpoll Warbler - 230 Belted Kingfisher - 1 Connecticut Warbler - 16 Eastern Phoebe - 2 Northern Parula - 2 Scarlet Tanager - 7 Veery - 29 White-eyed Vireo - 20 Yellow-bellied Sapsucker - 1 "I send you a box of birds which struck Sunday night, Sept. 30. It is the first regular flight this fall, when the weather has been favorable for them to strike. I send one bird I don't remember to have ever seen strike before, viz., a kingfisher. - S.R. Hubbard

253 - 2

256 - 4

259 - 2

263 - 54

264 - 4

267 - 2

272 - 41

273 - 321; 30 September 1883

277 - 10

279 - 2

284 - 36

285 - 113; 12 October 1882

286 - 7

288 - 1

291 - 1

293 - 1

294 - 1

309 - 1

314 - 13

315 - 5

316 - 1

320 - 3

334 - 1

336 - 37; 2 December 1882

344 - 1

Dutcher summarized the findings for the two seasons:

	1882	1883
Total in spring migration:	28	45
Total in autumn migration:	228	517
Total for year:	256	562
Species in spring:	14	21
Species in autumn:	38	27

Historic Ornithology Considered

The Fire Island lighthouse was built in ??, according to historic sources.

No information on whether bird strikes still occur at this locality could be found during a cursory search on the internet. Whatever the current situation, the article prepared by William Dutcher is an important research effort in the annals of historic ornithology, adding many detailed particulars for known bird strikes at lighthouses. This was enough of a reason for the information to be entered into a database of historic bird records so it might be analyzed further, and be replicated beyond what is a vital, yet static article in a bird journal.

Cuckoos Movement Shown by Omaha Building Strikes

The early season southward movement of Yellow-billed Cuckoos is being shown by instances of dead birds found in downtown Omaha in the past few days.

A carcass was found on the 9th on the north side of the First National Bank tower, on the sidewalk by the atrium. This atrium is glass-enclosed and has large obvious plants. The setting is a prime example of what not to do to provide a bird-safe setting.

Frazzled carcass of a Yellow-billed Cuckoo at the First National Bank tower.

Although there is usually someone picking up trash around this structure on a regular basis each morning - to keep the place clean - the bird carcass still remains, as it was just pushed into the space around a planted tree, where it would not be obvious. It is quite a mess of feathers and bones now!

On the 13th, the very fresh carcass of another cuckoo was found on the east side of the south tower at Central Park Plaza. The colors and characteristics of this bird were quite dramatic, though the situation was forlorn.

Carcass and scene of Yellow-billed Cuckoo killed by striking a hazardous building, the Central Park Plaza south tower. July 13, 2009.

Fall migration for this species is usually not thought to occur until a couple of weeks later this month. These two birds may not have had any success raising a brood, and left to return to other havens, and then in another tragedy, were killed by a building hazard in Omaha.

There are five known instances of building strikes occurrences by the Yellow-billed Cuckoo thus far this year in Omaha.

Each death is a violation of the taking clause of the Migratory Bird Treaty Act. Each instance was document with a photographs, which in these two cases are shown above.

Misplaced Maternal Mallard a Midtown Success

Mallards have come and some other mallards have flown away time and again from a midtown park, but this year there has been a particular hen mallard which has been a magnificent success living in a metropolitan setting a magnitude of miles from any marsh or wetland where most of her clan might spend the breeding season after the usual period of migration.

During the now forgotten winter at a local park of some inconsiderate magnitude, there have been different mallards present in various numbers, especially when the frigid winds of winter freeze the water at most other places, except perhaps for the minute Shadow Lake. During mid-January this year, there were a bunch, including about 55 on one winter's day when the temperature was in the minus-degrees, or a few meaningful marks below zero in degrees. Numbers of these waterfowl continued to occur through early February and even into early and mid-March.

Then their numbers dropped into the single digits - eventually more than the temperatures of weather - and by mid-April, there were just two remaining as a pair. A drake and his better half were noted, then last seen along Wood Creek, just south of the arterial Dodge Street thoroughfare through the city, west beyond the muddy Missouri river, at the end of April's mighty spring splendor. They next couple of weeks, only the gaudy male was noted in the park environs, and the reason became apparent in a short time, because the hen Mallard had other duties which required her utmost attention, so she preferred to be unseen at the park scene because of her maternal duties.

Her set of eggs had to be carefully nurtured and cared for in a place wrought with a multitude of dangers. There were people that could disturb her care without knowing what their actions might mean. Dangerous dogs of so many varieties would be running loose - without being on a leash as required by a city ordinance - and might lunge at any wild fowl, which could certainly cause more than minimal harm, perhaps even death or fatal injury. Raccoons would also appreciate finding some fresh eggs as the orbs would be an especially tasty treat to eat, as these predators would consume whatever might be found during a night's marauding.

Each of these events might not be any match for what a brooding Mallard would prefer.

Momentum of time and ongoing avian moments unknown meandered along and soon there was a profound measure of success for a hen Mallard that so finely nurtured a nest carefully hidden among the vegetation along the so slightly meandering Wood Creek, a slight sliver of woods through midtown.

On the morning of May 23rd, the female Mallard was seen with six itty-bitty ducklings and they were swimming up the creek, seemingly on their way to somewhere. There were mighty obstacles in their path, yet what might this mean?

Nature can make many miscellaneous decisions on the fate of a dedicated duck and her brood so few yet immensely important.

A week later, the duck's destination became apparent and was obvious, as the whole bunch was swimmingly and subtly enjoying the green-covered waters of Shadow Lake, when on May 30, the mother Mallard and her young were all seen at the scene, trying to be somewhat inconspicuous among the haunts, along the shore and among some of the woody snags that occur at this bit of a special wetland.

This was the ongoing local haven for Mrs. Mallard and her brood. The mighty seven were noted again in June, on the 4th, the 12th, the 18th and 29th.

It was obvious on the last date for the first month of this summer among many, why this was such an especial place to raise some ducklings that would not know what hazardous measures life could throw forth. The growing ducks were partially covered in green ... because as they ate the nourishing bits of seemingly microscopic pondweed - without melodrama - so pervasive and dramatic in magnanimous yet subtle color, some of the plant-life clung onto them in more than one way. The vegetation stuck to the birds' feathers as they submersed their heads to feed.

Heh mallards, there is some pondweed clinging to your head!

In an appropriate, and subtle birdly celebration for the July 4th holiday weekend this year, the mallard family had splintered, separating and making time at two places.

On the morning of the 5th of July, there were only two juvenile Mallards at Shadow Lake. Where were the others?

Maybe they had moved on, perhaps in a flight of featherly appreciation after their special care by a mom of an avian sort?

Then, after a bundle of moments filled with measurable ponderings, the remainder of the family was seen, moving about so mellifluous on the creek, near a place called wood duck point. Mom and her four juvenile ducklings were doing fine and did not fly away or react in a manner to convey mayhem or any type of miscreant aspect on the part of a momentary watcher. The merry Wood Ducks acted in a similar manner.

May your moments continue as you mature and metamorphose into adult Mallards, and might your meanders mean more time for your mother to mind her brood and nurture them onward, perhaps till they might migrate. Though it seems that the local environs can provide the minutiae necessary for survival in midtown, among so many people oblivious to the magnificent wonders which the success of a maternal Mallard can mean.

There has not been a drake Mallard seen during this entire period. Mr. Mallard must have moved elsewhere so he is not a part of this memoir from a metropolis.

The moments must mean so much to the Mallards. Their mighty saga - this is no myth of unknown splendor - is worthy of some music on the scale of a Mahler or Mozart musical symphony.

New Facility at Audubon Refuge to be Energy Efficient and Bird-Safe

A new administrative office and visitor facility planned for Audubon National Wildlife Refuge near Coleharbor, North Dakota will be energy efficient and built in a manner so it is also safe for migratory birds.

Concept elevations for Audubon National Wildlife Refuge Office and Visitor Facility. Image courtesy of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

“This facility will be a prime example of Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) and will strive for the gold certification level, which incorporates many environmentally sustainable construction methods including the use of solar energy, vertical axis wind generation, geothermal heating and cooling system, and the use of many recycled materials,” according to federal officials.

The building design has also been modified to address the possibility for any bird strikes to occur.

“The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, in conjunction with our design/build team have discussed the issue of bird collisions and have created a facility as bird-safe/friendly as we feel possible, while maintaining our gold LEED certification,” said Jackie Jacobson, Outdoor Recreation Planner at the refuge.

“Our team has already made changes to this facility in order to avoid potential bird collisions. Some of these changes include lowering the lobby (initial design had more of a glass tower lobby), removing cupolas that contained glass windows, breaking up the roof line, utilizing vertical axis wind turbine rather than a horizontal blade, and installing horizontal blinds on windows so glass face is more noticeable.”

“The building will be constructed in an open grassland area away from woodland areas (our current facility is amongst several shelterbelt areas where we do have many species of birds utilizing this habitat - this building will be demolished, reducing impacts we currently have here).”

“The newly constructed visitor center will allow staff to build a stronger and more expansive environmental education and visitation program for the public,” according to officials. “An exhibit hall will house dioramas, murals, and hands-on features that focus on the importance of wetlands and grasslands for migratory birds and other wildlife. An educational classroom will provide a means for gathering youth and adults to increase their knowledge about the functions and values of these important habitats, prior to visiting the Outdoor Wildlife Learning Site, which is connected to the building via a trail system.”

“The administrative office will house fifteen permanent employees and up to 25 seasonal employees. The additional space will allow for expansion of youth employment through the Youth Conservation Corp program and Student Temporary Education Program which provide opportunities for young adults to gain experience in environmental stewardship and explore careers with the Service.”

“A primary objective of the visitor center at Audubon will be focusing on these important wetlands and grasslands and the tremendous benefits they offer to wildlife,” said Lloyd Jones, refuge manager at Audubon NWR, which has about 29,000 visitors each year.

The new facility - to be built using $6.1 million from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act - will be “designed and built by Keplin/Gracon JV from Rolette, North Dakota. Design will begin in June 2009 and construction will conclude in November 2010.”