Record Single-day Casualties Due to Bird-Strikes at Omaha

The deadliest day ever known at Omaha for migratory wild birds killed or disabled by bird-strikes occurred October 24, 2009. There were 31 recorded instances. This is the largest number of strikes ever documented for a particular day at buildings in Nebraska, based on a review of hundreds of records from Omaha and Lincoln.

This is the tally for this particular Saturday, presenting details for each strike in the order which they were found. Four hours were spent bicycling about to document these occurrences, with about a quarter of time during a steady drizzle. Additional time was spent processing the dismal results. The list presents the basics details, with a documentary photograph, and without editorial comments.

1. White-throated Sparrow: carcass at the southwest entry of the Harper Center at Creighton University, along the north wall
2. Marsh Wren: disabled bird on the south side of the 22 building at 1304 Webster Street; this is the first known instance of a bird strike at this North Downtown building
3. Lincoln's Sparrow: carcass near the main, box-office entry of the Qwest Center Omaha between 6-7 a.m., any earlier strikes had already been removed by security personnel which start their patrol earlier than the arrival on this day, and others
4. Lincoln's Sparrow: carcass at the west side of the west portion of the south wall of the central courtyard at the Holland Center for Performing Arts
5. Lincoln's Sparrow: carcass at the east side of the west portion of the south wall of the central courtyard at the Holland Center for Performing Arts
6. Lincoln's Sparrow: carcass at the west end of the south exterior wall at the Holland Center for Performing Arts
7. Lincoln's Sparrow: disabled bird on the north side of the atrium on the north side of the First National Bank tower
8. Harris's Sparrow: carcass on the south side of the entry atrium at 1200 Landmark Center, just to the west of the entryway
9. Chipping Sparrow: carcass on the east side, right outside the south entry into the Omaha Public Power District Energy Plaza building
10. White-throated Sparrow: carcass outside the main entry of the Keeline Building; this is the first known instance of a bird strike at this structure
11. White-throated Sparrow: carcass on the north side of the atrium for the Omaha-Douglas Civic Center, near the very west end
12. Lincoln's Sparrow: carcass on the east side, at the north end of the Law Building
13. White-throated Sparrow: carcass on the north side of the Law Building, at the west end
14. Yellow-rumped Warbler: carcass on the west side of the Law Building, at the north end
15. Yellow-bellied Sapsucker: carcass on the east side of the Redfield and Company Building, at the south side of the third section of glass from the north end
16. Lincoln's Sparrow: carcass on the east side of the Durham Research Centers Commons, at the south end; this is the first known instance of a bird strike at this building

... pause ...

17. Harris's Sparrow: carcass on the west side of the third floor of the Reinert-Alumni Memorial Library, Creighton University; just south of the second pillar from the north
18. Dark-eyed Junco: carcass on the north side of the Eppley CBA Building, Creighton University; at the third section of glass from the east side of the structure
19. Ruby-crowned Kinglet: carcass at the entry to the former Quick City delivery service building on Webster Street, on the south side of the structure; this is the first known instance of a bird strike at this building
20. Lincoln's Sparrow: carcass on the west side of the Slowdown Lounge, at the north end of the southern-most section of glass
21. Swamp Sparrow: rigid carcass on the north side of the Curtis National Park Service building on the riverfront; right next to the building just west of the second pillar from the east; strikes have been documented here by NPS personnel, but this is the first external instance of documenting a strike
22. Swainson's Thrush: rigid carcass on the north side of the Harriman Dispatching Center, at the west end
23. Dark-eyed Junco: carcass south of the southeast corner of the 1200 Landmark Center tower
24. Dark-eyed Junco: carcass at the middle of the north wall of the tower at 1200 Landmark Center
25. Field Sparrow: carcass at the middle of the north wall of the tower at 1200 Landmark Center
26. Dark-eyed Junco: carcass at the middle of the north wall of the tower at 1200 Landmark Center
27. Orange-crowned Warbler: carcass on the east side of the Union Pacific Center, at the very south end
28. Harris's Sparrow: carcass of a sub-adult on the east side of the Zorinsky Federal Building, at the very south end
29. Swainson's Thrush: carcass at the south side of the south tower at Central Park Plaza, on the sidewalk at the eastern corner
30. Dark-eyed Junco: carcass on the south side of the atrium, east of the entry doors
31. Dark-eyed Junco: carcass on the west side of the Omaha Public Power District Energy Plaza building, at the very south corner of the tower

There were undoubtedly additional strikes around the city, considering that carcasses had already been thrown away, and the survey route did not get to locations where dangerous buildings would occur.

The previous greatest tally of strikes had been 23 casualties on 25 September 2008, followed by the 20 instances on 20 October 2009, as previously documented.