Numerous Bird Deaths in May From Building Strikes at Omaha

A tally of bird strikes for downtown Omaha during the month of May 2009 shows a continued death of many birds, with a notable prominence of the Qwest Center Omaha as it continues to have the greatest number of known mortality. Variability in migratory flights meant there were fewer or no bird deaths at some prominent locations where extensive instances of mortality occurred last year during May.

White-throated Sparrow. Harper Center, Creighton University; 5 May 2009.

Documentation of the bird strikes found this spring season started at the end of April - notably at Creighton University on Easter weekend - with subsequent surveys via bicycle well underway at the start of May. There was a particular intent to get a good coverage of bird strike instances for the month, so a look about was done each day, except for one weekend when the opportunity to visit the Niobrara River valley just had to be taken. Only a very few number of strikes might have been missed since it was a weekend, and there is little or no cleanup around buildings on these mornings, so carcasses might have remained until being noted on Monday morning.

A daily tally shows the difference for the days of the month this spring in comparison to last spring.

There were 29 species represented in the 65 instances of dead bird carcasses found during May 2009 on the sidewalks amongst the urban built-environment on the lowland west of the Missouri River channel. The only species included in the tally that is not protected by the Migratory Bird Treaty Act was a single female House Sparrow found as an inert carcass in the plaza between the towers of the Central Park Plaza.

The different species that struck the glass of downtown Omaha buildings in 2009, but not found in the survey region among the river city buildings in 2008 were:

• Mallard: surprisingly, one was dormant on the sidewalk on the west side, north end of the Qwest Center; it was able to fly away when approached
• Virginia Rail: a carcass was found at the corner upon the block of the First National Tower
• Yellow-billed Cuckoo: a May record, where the security guard at the Holland Center wondered what was going one, while my attention was being given to photographing the occurrence of this bird
• Red-headed Woodpecker: a carcass along the curb
• Orange-crowned Warbler: found during May, whilst it has been previously noted during other months
• Nashville Warbler: found during May, whilst it has been noted during other months
• Northern Waterthrush: a late season migrant
• Grasshopper Sparrow: not noted last year during May
• Meadowlark: only the head was seen, and this bit of a bird carcass continued to languish on the sidewalk for several days
• Yellow-headed Blackbird: noted by a brief but definitive glimpse of this characteristic bird which struck the glass at the Holland Center courtyard

There had been 35 species documented during the same month in 2008, based upon 101 records.

During the two spring migratory seasons, there were profound differences. There were days - when based upon findings in 2008 - that many instances of dead birds might have occurred, but this was not the case. It seems that unknown conditions during the migratory season made a difference. The actual particulars - including wind and other climatic factors - are not known well enough to analyze.

This spring season had a fewer number of migratory species, indicated not only by a fewer number of bird strike examples, but also by general observations of species by bird-watchers in local areas where these people tend to occur. This was also the case at the Elmwood-Memorial Park environs based on regular surveys which followed a consistent route and method of noting what birds were present.

It was also a month of differences in the occurrence of bird strikes. Compared to 2008, there were fewer locales where strikes occurred, as shown by the given records, each which was documented by a photograph of the situation.

Julian Date May 2008 May 2009 122 5 - 123 NS 1 124 NS 4 125 NS 5 126 NS 2 127 3 2 128 - 1 129 2 1 130 - 3 131 10 - 132 2 3 133 3 2 134 6 - 135 1 2 136 1 NS 137 1 NS 138 3 7 139 7 2 140 2 4 141 5 2 142 4 3 143 1 1 144 4 2 145 2 7 146 5 3 147 10 1 148 2 1 149 1 - 150 11 2 151 3 4 152 8 - NS - no survey done

Building May 2008 May 2009 1200 Landmark Center 14 5 1405 Harney Street 1 - 17th and Harney Street 1 - All Makes Office Equipment Company 1 - American National Bank 4 - Central Park Plaza 8 5 Durham Research Center - 2 First National Bank Building 2 - First National Data Center - 1 First National Tower 1 6 Gottschalk Freedom Center 8 - Harper Center, Creighton University - 2 Holland Center for Performing Arts 9 3 Kutak Rock - Omaha Building - 1 Nebraska State Office Building 1 - Omaha Public Power District Energy Plaza - 1 Omaha World-Herald Building 5 1 Qwest Center Omaha 33 29 Slowdown Lounge - 1 Union Pacific Center 9 4 Woodmen Park - 1 Woodmen Tower Skywalk - 1 Zorinsky Federal Building 2 -     Yellow-billed Cuckoo. Holland Center for Performing Arts, 25 May 2009.

A readily prominent and obvious detail is the continued number of birds which are struck dead at the Qwest Center Omaha, with 33 in 2008 compared to 29 in 2009. This is not a significant difference. This building continues to be the deadliest place for migratory birds at the Omaha riverfront.

The Qwest Center Omaha is managed by the Metropolitan Entertainment and Convention Authority. Roger Dixon is the director. The organization continues to do nothing about the many birds which die - are struck dead - meet their mortality - etc. at this place of glass which is the west wall of the structure. There is an obvious indifference to the demise of so many birds! Again and again a bird is struck dead, and this has been happening ever since construction of the building was finished.

Summary of Species Noted in May 2008 and May 2009
Bird Species	May 2008	May 2009
Mallard	-	1
Virginia Rail	-	1
Sora	5	1
Mourning Dove	1	4
Yellow-billed Cuckoo	-	1
Red-headed Woodpecker	-	1
Hairy Woodpecker	1	-
Olive-sided Flycatcher	1	-
Eastern Wood-Pewee	3	-
Willow Flycatcher	3	-
Least Flycatcher	1	1
Eastern Kingbird	1	-
Warbling Vireo	2	-
Red-eyed Vireo	1	-
Swainson's Thrush	2	1
American Robin	2	1
Gray Catbird	2	3
Tennessee Warbler	13	3
Orange-crowned Warbler	-	2
Nashville Warbler	3	1
Yellow Warbler	4	-
Chestnut-sided Warbler	1	-
Yellow-rumped Warbler	2	-
Palm Warbler	2	-
Black-and-white Warbler	1	1
American Redstart	2	-
Worm-eating Warbler	1	-
Ovenbird	7	1
Northern Waterthrush	-	1
Louisiana Waterthrush	1	-
Mourning Warbler	1	-
Common Yellowthroat	14	3
Chipping Sparrow	1	2
Clay-colored Sparrow	4	6
Grasshopper Sparrow	-	3
Lincoln's Sparrow	2	4
Swamp Sparrow	-	1
White-throated Sparrow	3	1
Rose-breasted Grosbeak	2	4
Blue Grosbeak	1	-
Indigo Bunting	5	7
Yellow-headed Blackbird	-	1
Common Grackle	2	2
Baltimore Oriole	2	4
House Sparrow	-	1
Total:	35	28

Baltimore Orioles were especially indicative of the deaths which occurred during May, as pictorially presented previously.

Also notable in May this year was a significantly larger number of birds struck dead at the First National Tower skyscraper. The north atrium - with its confounding and readily apparent interior landscaping - was the most deadly place, especially at the east end. Because of the profound footprint of this tall and imposing structure, a carcass was found at the corner of the block, apparently after the Virginia Rail struck the building and then careened to end up on the sidewalk where it died. A similar event occurred last May with a Sora found in the street east of the tower. There are also probably other strikes which occur here, though the results are not apparent as the birds fall on upper portions of the structure rather than to the street-level where the results can be seen and noted.

A new locale for birds deaths during May this year was the Durham Research Center I - the north tower along Saddle Creek Road - which has been built in just recently for the University of Nebraska Medical Center. With a dead robin and Mourning Dove, these two instances establish what will certainly be ongoing instances of mortality because of the skywalk and construction with lots of glass and a "see-through" perspective, which is known to be a hazardous situation for birds' movement. The "central commons" for the two towers is enclosed in glass, with no permanent barriers, though there are sunscreens lowered to block the sun - as noted on sunny afternoons - to sometimes provide a visual barrier. The place is not bird-friendly.

Violations of the Migratory Bird Treaty Act

Each of the bird strikes, whether it caused a bird to die or disabled a bird whose ultimate fate is uncertain, is considered a taking under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act. This Act is enforced by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, although in the case of bird strikes associated with buildings in Omaha, this enforcement is selective or nonexistent. The federal agency had a couple of meetings last June with officials at Qwest and the Omaha World-Herald, but there were no apparent results to address the situations causing the documented deaths.

Managers of buildings in the river city are cognizant of the situation, and they still do nothing as well, except perhaps do a better effort at removing the dead bird carcasses so the sight of a bird carcass will not be seen by any building patrons!

Building cleanup often occurs at first light, so any dead birds can also be removed prior to any survey, though the look about occurs before 7 a.m., if not sooner. Any disabled birds can only be determined during a short time after sunup, which is a now number of minutes before 6 a.m., so early in the morning! By 6:30 a.m., disabled bird may have recovered enough to move elsewhere.

Because of quick cleanup practices, the number of known strike occurrences is fewer than the number which actually occur.

Omaha a Profound Place of Bird Deaths

A multitude of birds continue to be killed by the buildings of downtown Omaha. Each bird suffers an agonizing death of suffering as experienced again and again by seeing a bird sitting on the sidewalk, unmoving with its eyes closed, and morose enough to allow a close approach. Their agony is obvious, and the death of a bird, especially such as witnessed with a Baltimore Oriole is excruciating for them and an immensely sad scene to see.

With some attention and concern for the situation, this could be prevented, but there is a cavalier attitude of indifference. The attitude of building managers - as there has been absolutely nothing done to address the bird strike situation - conveys a complete disregard for migratory birds. This is an anathema based on what should be a "green attitude" of environmental concern and working to lessen the impact of the built environment upon the feathered residents of the natural world which in instance after instance meet their demise when they happen to end up among the built environment of downtown Omaha.

Common Yellowthroat. 1200 Landmark Center. 26 May 2009.

Indigo Bunting. Union Pacific Center, 30 May 2009.

Rose-breasted Grosbeak. Woodmen Park skywalk, 31 May 2009.