August 2009 Bird Strikes at Omaha Surpass Tally From 2008

August of 2009 was a much deadlier month for birds at Omaha. There were a substantially greater number of known bird strikes, with 54 noted, compared to 29 in 2008.

Julian Date	Aug 2008	Aug 2009
213	-	1
214	-	1
220	-	2
221	3	-
224	-	2
226	-	1
229	-	4
230	1	-
232	-	2
233	-	1
234	2	-
235	-	3
236	4	2
238	6	5
239	3	7
240	-	14
241	4	3
242	-	5
243	-	1
244	6	-

With a protocol which meant an irregular schedule due thunderstorms on 2-3 mornings, being out-of-town, or when the occurrence of strikes was reduced, some times a look-about was done only every other day, so there were probably twice as many strikes in comparison to last year.

The following is a comparison of the days during August in 2008 and 2009 when bird strikes were known to have occurred.

The deadliest day for birds during the month was when there were ca. 40,000 Purple Martins at the Martin Mecca Midtown at the Nebraska Medical Center Campus. Based on repeated observations at this roost, the birds using the locality seemed to be newly arrived and not familiar with the setting. Three-fourths of the strikes noted at this particular event, resulted in the mortality of the bird. While trying to move some disabled birds from the driveway so that they would not be run over by vehicular traffic, other birds struck the walkway glass and fell to the pavement.

Qwest Center Continues as a Deadly Place for Birds

Although the extent of strikes is skewed towards the multitude of martins at the roost (where the building owners quickly undertook some initiative to address the situation), the Qwest Center Omaha continues to be the deadliest building on Omaha for migratory birds, with at least a dozen more birds dying at the west side of this structure - comprised of a glass wall - which can obviously be called a "wall of death" for birds because of the endless and ongoing number of strikes known to occur, with 180 documented through the end of the month, with 46 species that are known to have hit the glass.

Building officials have done nothing to address the situation at this publicly-owned building, and have actually ignored U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service requests to address the issue to reduce or prevent mortality of birds protected by the Migratory Bird Treaty Act, an international treaty meant to protect birds, but which in the case of bird-strikes, its provisions are being ignored.

Building	Aug 2008	Aug 2009
1200 Landmark Center	1	4
Central Park Plaza	-	1
First National Tower	-	2
Gottschalk Freedom Center	4	-
Harper Center, Creighton University	-	1
Holland Center for Performing Arts	-	3
Kiewit-Clarkson Skywalk	15	19
Kiewit-Clarkson South Skywalk	-	2
Omaha Public Power District Energy Plaza	-	2
Qwest Center Omaha	7	13
Redfield & Company Building	-	1
Union Pacific Center	1	4
Zorinsky Federal Building	-	2

Greater Extent of Species

There was also an increase in the number of species noted during August in 2009, with 17 species noted, in comparison to 11 during the month a year ago.

Species Name	Aug 2008	Aug 2009
Sora	-	1
Mourning Dove	1	5
Yellow-billed Cuckoo	-	2
Common Nighthawk	1	-
Chimney Swift	2	-
Ruby-throated Hummingbird	-	1
Willow Flycatcher	-	1
Purple Martin	15	21
Black-capped Chickadee	-	1
House Wren	1	-
Yellow Warbler	-	2
American Redstart	-	1
Ovenbird	1	-
Northern Waterthrush	1	2
Mourning Warbler	3	2
Common Yellowthroat	-	1
Hooded Warbler	1	-
Wilson's Warbler	1	5
Dickcissel	-	1
Common Grackle	-	6
Orchard Oriole	-	1
House Finch	1	-
American Goldfinch	-	1

The Black-capped Chickadee, found mid-month as a carcass at the Qwest Center Omaha, had not been previously noted as the victim of a bird strike. Neither had the Orchard Oriole, found at the same building early in the month.

The same general method has been used each of two months being considered, with the same localities visited - including a greater focus on what may be happening at the Nebraska Medical Center Campus - in order to evaluate which species and how many strike Omaha buildings. The observed results of the strikes - mostly bird carcasses - have been photographed to document the occurrence.

Each strike noted since May 2008 has been a violation of the taking provision of the Migratory Bird Treaty Act, which in each case is not being enforced by the responsible federal agency ... the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, which has repeatedly and consistently ignored this cause of bird mortality.

As of August 31, 2009, there have been 609 known bird strikes in east Omaha, although the extent of the bird strikes is undoubtedly much greater, but not known due to the drastic limitations and lack of resources required to conduct more expansive surveys that would better indicate the overall numbers of birds that have been struck dead in Omaha.

And... the bird strikes will continue unabated in the river city and elsewhere.