Based on surveys done on 219 different days in 2008 and 2009 when bird-strikes were documented, this is a list of the 71 buildings where different wildbirds have been injured or killed in Omaha because of a hazardous situation at a building:
- Building - Number of Known Bird-strikes
- • Qwest Center Omaha: 227 known, with more that have undoubtedly occurred, but where the carcasses are getting thrown into the trash, and could not be documented
- • 1200 Landmark Center: 65
- • Union Pacific Center: 64
- • Kiewit-Clarkson Skywalk: 63
- • Holland Center for Performing Arts: 53
- • Central Park Plaza: 50
- • Zorinsky Federal Building: 29
- • Omaha Public Power District Energy Plaza: 27
- • First National Tower: 26
- • Gottschalk Freedom Center: 25
- • Harper Center, Creighton University: 21
- • Woodmen Tower Skywalk: 19
- • Omaha-Douglas Civic Center: 14
- • Omaha World-Herald Building: 11
- • Kiewit-Clarkson South Skywalk: 9
- • Law Building: 8
- • Nebraska State Office Building: 8
- • American National Bank: 7
- • Redfield and Company Building: 7
- • J.P. Cooke Company: 5
- • Slowdown Lounge: 5
- • Woodmen Park: 5
- • Biology-Business Buildings Link, Creighton University: 4
- • Eppley CBA Building, Creighton University: 3
- • First National Bank Building: 3
- • Harriman Dispatching Center: 3
- • Kutak Rock - Omaha Building: 3
- • All Makes Office Equipment Company: 2
- • Brandeis Building: 2
- • Exchange Building: 2
- • First National Data Center: 2
- • Reinert-Alumni Memorial Library, Creighton University: 2
- • Swanson-Durham Skywalk: 2
- • Urban Outfitters: 2
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- • 1405 Harney Street: 1
- • 16th Street - North Skywalk: 1
- • 17th and Harney Street: 1
- • 22 Building: 1
- • Aksarben Village - 6464 Center Street: 1
- • American Apparel: 1
- • Brandeis Parking Garage: 1
- • Curtis Park Service Building: 1
- • D.J. Sokol Arena, Creighton University: 1
- • Duchesne Academy Skywalk: 1
- • Durham Research Center: 1
- • Durham Research Centers Commons: 1
- • Ehrhart Griffin Building: 1
- • Farnam Plaza: 1
- • Federal Office Building: 1
- • Flatiron Cafe: 1
- • Indian Creek Nursery: 1
- • Joslyn Lofts: 1
- • Keeline Building: 1
- • Kimball Lofts: 1
- • Laurie and Charles Photographs: 1
- • Metropolitan Utilities District building: 1
- • Missouri River Project Office: 1
- • Mother India Restaurant: 1
- • Mr. Toad's Pub: 1
- • O'Keefe Elevator Company: 1
- • Quick City Building: 1
- • Ruth Sokolof Theatre: 1
- • Sorrell Center: 1
- • The Regis: 1
- • Tritsch Garden, Criss Library: 1
- • Union Plaza Apartments: 1
- • What-Cheer: 1
- • Wittson Hall - Bennett Hall Skywalk: 1
- • Wittson Hall - Sorrell Center Skywalk: 1
- • Woodmen Tower: 1
- • World Building: 1
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Bird-strikes have certainly occurred elsewhere in Omaha, but for one person it is completely impossible to be at the right place at the right time in order to ducument what is happening. There has been no assistance offered to help in documenting bird strikes, including any help from local birders or conservation groups, who actually seem to be completely indifferent to the ongoing deaths and injuries of the wildbirds.
Species Diversity
These are the 83 distinct species which have been documented as suffering from the hazards of the built environment in east Omaha during the past two years, based on the best identification information available:
- Bird Species - Number of Recorded Bird-strikes
- • Lincoln's Sparrow: 76
- • Common Yellowthroat: 70
- • Purple Martin: 67
- • Common Grackle: 62
- • Nashville Warbler: 55
- • Wilson's Warbler: 31
- • Clay-colored Sparrow: 23
- • Mourning Dove: 23
- • Indigo Bunting: 22
- • Mourning Warbler: 21
- • White-throated Sparrow: 20
- • Dark-eyed Junco: 18
- • Ovenbird: 17
- • Tennessee Warbler: 16
- • Orange-crowned Warbler: 15
- • Sora: 14
- • Northern Waterthrush: 14
- • Gray Catbird: 10
- • Swamp Sparrow: 10
- • House Wren: 10
- • Yellow-billed Cuckoo: 10
- • Marsh Wren: 10
- • Yellow Warbler: 9
- • Swainson's Thrush: 8
- • Chimney Swift: 8
- • Baltimore Oriole: 8
- • American Robin: 8
- • Rose-breasted Grosbeak: 7
- • Eastern Wood-Pewee: 6
- • Grasshopper Sparrow: 6
- • Brown Thrasher: 5
- • Chipping Sparrow: 5
- • House Finch: 4
- • American Redstart: 4
- • European Starling: 4
- • Virginia Rail: 4
- • Harris's Sparrow: 4
- • Brown Creeper: 4
- • Willow Flycatcher: 4
- • American Tree Sparrow: 4
- • Ruby-crowned Kinglet: 4
- • Yellow-rumped Warbler: 4
- • Song Sparrow: 4
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- • Northern Flicker: 3
- • Ruby-throated Hummingbird: 3
- • House Sparrow: 2
- • Sedge Wren: 2
- • Yellow-bellied Sapsucker: 2
- • Black-and-white Warbler: 2
- • Common Nighthawk: 2
- • Wilson's Snipe: 2
- • Warbling Vireo: 2
- • Red-headed Woodpecker: 2
- • Palm Warbler: 2
- • Least Flycatcher: 2
- • Blue Grosbeak: 2
- • Dickcissel: 2
- • American Goldfinch: 1
- • Belted Kingfisher: 1
- • Chestnut-sided Warbler: 1
- • Cedar Waxwing: 1
- • Canada Warbler: 1
- • Black-capped Chickadee: 1
- • Olive-sided Flycatcher: 1
- • Yellow-headed Blackbird: 1
- • Worm-eating Warbler: 1
- • Wood Duck: 1
- • White-crowned Sparrow: 1
- • White-breasted Nuthatch: 1
- • Spotted Towhee: 1
- • Rock Pigeon: 1
- • Louisiana Waterthrush: 1
- • Orchard Oriole: 1
- • Eastern Kingbird: 1
- • Mallard: 1
- • American Coot: 1
- • Hooded Warbler: 1
- • Hermit Thrush: 1
- • Hairy Woodpecker: 1
- • Great Crested Flycatcher: 1
- • Fox Sparrow: 1
- • Field Sparrow: 1
- • Red-eyed Vireo: 1
It should be noted that deaths of the European Starling and Rock Pigeon cannot be considered under the taking clause of the Migratory Bird Treaty Act. These instances were recorded for informational purposes only.
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Nearly every occurrence of these bird strikes has been documented with a picture of the forlorn carcass or suffering bird at the place of occurrence. This makes for a whole bunch of images from different scenes and situations, which could be considered as a Gallery of Misery for too many birds.
Although the number of bird-strike instances are relatively small in Omaha, in comparison to the many thousands documented from other cities, each death or injury, wherever it occurs, is a tragedy of singular importance.
Bird-Strikes Widespread in Nebraska
Based on an overall evaluation of known bird strikes in eastern Nebraska, this is a summary of the general locations and the number of known instances. It should be realized that the numbers are completely skewed, since they are based - most recently - upon the efforts of one individual, so based on his focus, the numbers will be greater for that place, so there would be many more at the UNL City Campus and each of the locales listed.
- General Locale - Total Number of Records
- • UNL City Campus: 818
- • Downtown Omaha: 682
- • Nebraska Medical Center Campus: 72
- • Creighton University Campus: 31
- • North Downtown: 12
- • University of Nebraska Medical Center Campus: 7
- • UNL East Campus: 7
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- • Midtown Omaha: 3
- • Old Market: 3
- • Aksarben Village: 1
- • Duchesne Academy: 1
- • Omaha Moorings: 1
- • Omaha Riverfront: 1
- • UNOmaha Campus: 1
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Most of these records are based upon personal observations, and are derived from a dataset of records, which makes this type of comparison possible.
Building Owners Responsible
The owners of the buildings where bird strikes occur are responsible for what they cause, and this statement basically conveys the entire situation when considering bird strikes. It may take some time and education to get them to realize this, but is usually realized only after the facts are presented and realized. For some, ignorance seems to be the preferred option.
If there is one benefit from the recent article in the Omaha World-Herald about bird-strikes downtown, there is a new realization among building owners about their being responsible for the what happens. A comment in the article has apparently made a difference, since it came from a government official, and no one would listen to a citizen when it comes to a legal matter, which is the way which several building representatives look at this issue.
Based on discussions with a few building representatives, their perspective on how or whether to deal with the bird-strike situation did change after reading the article.
A wide variety of comments have been heard in discussions on this topic, with some taking responsiblity while others make "excuses" and others make like the proverbial ostrich, and try to ignore the situation. The bottom line is whether the people responsible will, or will not, do something. There is no gray area on this, as it is a simple Yes or No question.
How this whole personal effort to document and information makes a difference in the extent of bird-strikes in Omaha remains to be seen, since only by making conditions less hazardous will fewer birds get injured or killed. This step depends on the building owners ...
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