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15 May 2013

Additional Mid-May Bird-Window Strikes at Omaha

There were many more migratory wildbirds killed or disabled due to striking glass facades around eastern Omaha as they undertake the gauntlet along the Missouri River valley. Habitat places are treasures, but hazardous places are more prevalent.

This is a list of the species, the building and appropriate notes for instances observed early in the morning on May 14, 2013. Especially notable records are shown in bold text.

  1. Clay-colored Sparrow: Rasmussen Center, Creighton University - disabled after hitting glass above solid, main entry door on the west end of the south side; seen to happen at 6:10 a.m. The is first known strike at this recently constructed building, though there was an expectation of their occurrence, due to the extent of glass facade on the structures south side, as initially obvious as shown on architectural renderings.
  2. Common Yellowthroat: TDAmeritrade Park - disabled male on south side, directly north of 12th Street; the second known instance of a strike at this facility, and the previous one was also a Common Yellowthroat. Surveys have been basically limited to its southwest corner and southern extent where glass is prevalent.
  3. Clay-colored Sparrow: Qwest/CenturyLink Center Omaha - carcass at south side of south convention center entry, east of the north-facing entryway.
  4. Nashville Warbler: Qwest/CenturyLink Center Walkway - carcass on the north side of the east end, about 25 feet from center entryway. Records only from 2013, and then three either on May 12th or 14th.
  5. Lincoln's Sparrow: Holland Performing Arts Center - carcass on the south side of the central courtyard, at the western side of the east section.
  6. Yellow Warbler: Gottschalk Freedom Center (an Omaha World-Herald corporation building) - carcass on the west side, at the third section from the north.
  7. House Wren: Omaha Public Power District Energy Plaza - carcass on the west side, just north of the entryway; only the third spring record thus far in six years.
  8. Clay-colored Sparrow: Law Building - carcass on the north side, and the second section from the west
  9. Clay-colored Sparrow: Law Building - carcass on the north side, and the third section from the west; the two carcasses about four feet apart
  10. White-throated Sparrow: Omaha-Douglas Civic Center - carcass on the south side of the atrium, at the east side of the doorway
  11. White-throated Sparrow: Omaha-Douglas Civic Center - carcass on the north side of the atrium, at the east side of the doorway
  12. Gray Catbird: Woodmen Tower Skywalk - disabled on the north side of walkway, towards the west portion, in street next to sidewalk.
  13. Red-headed Woodpecker: World Building - carcass on the west side, and the north corner; only the fourth record in six years, with each occurrence at a different building. The last known occurrence for this distinctive species was in 2010. This morning is was a redhead dead on the sidewalk, again.
  14. Virginia Rail: Brandeis Parking Garage - carcass on the north side, about in the middle, just east of vehicle driveways.
  15. Brown Thrasher: Kutak-Rock Building - carcass on the west side, in the northern one-fourth; latest spring record during period of surveys.
  16. Virginia Rail: DLR Group Building - carcass on the north side, in the middle near the fourth column from the east; the second strike instance known from this building in Aksarben Village, with other being a decrepit carcass of a passerine noted in May 2011. Fatalities here were expected based upon exterior features shown by architectural renderings for this recent construction. Only the fourth overall occurrence for this commercial/residential district, which has not visited very often, being "outside" the usual route. This was also the first record for this rail, which has not been from downtown Omaha. However, a report in the last couple of weeks indicated one struck some building in the vicinity of 72nd and Dodge street, as the disabled bird was filmed, and its identity subsequently confirmed by a local birder.

By adding the known strike occurrence for the past six years, Julian Date number 134 is the deadliest, thus far for spring, with 28 records. For day 133, there are 123 in comparison. Additional deadly dates could occur yet this May period.

There have been 58 known strikes thus far this year, with forty of them in three days is appalling!!!

There are possibly also additional records for the Curtis Park Service Building at the riverfront, where records in the past have been kept by staff of the National Park Service office. The actual status of the current extent of strikes here is not currently known.





The two sparrows are pictured where found on the north side of the Law Building.





This catbird could not even hold its head up straight.


Note the bird's tongue sticking out because of the impact.

May 15th

The pattern of numerous strike occurrences continued, with ten denoted, including one at a different building, and another instance found upon a return to the CenturyLink Center west facade.

  1. Common Yellowthroat: Zesto Building: Lids Locker Room - carcass on the east side of the building, in the glass section south of the entryway
  2. Indigo Bunting: Qwest/CenturyLink Center Omaha - disabled male on the west side, at the corner
  3. Common Yellowthroat: Qwest/CenturyLink Center Omaha - disabled male on the west side, just south of the northmost entry
  4. Indigo Bunting: Qwest/CenturyLink Center Omaha - carcass of a female in the trash receptacle at the south corner of the southmost convention century entry
  5. Clay-colored Sparrow: 1200 Landmark Center - carcass on the north side of the east building, third section of glass from the east
  6. Ovenbird: 1200 Landmark Center - carcass at the south side of the atrium, west of the entryway
  7. Clay-colored Sparrow: Union Pacific Center - disabled on the north side, about 15 feet east of the entry
  8. Ovenbird: Kutak-Rock Building - disabled on the west side, about 25 feet from south corner
  9. Lincoln's Sparrow: Omaha World-Herald Paper Storage Facility - carcass at the middle of the south side
  10. Common Yellowthroat: Qwest/CenturyLink Center Omaha - disabled male on the west side, at the north corner; found later, and in same place as Indigo Bunting earlier












The dangerous east facade of the Zesto Building in north downtown, designed with a reflective glass exterior, known to be hazardous to migratory wildbirds.



Note how the tip of this bird's upper bill was bent by the impact.

The average is more than 12 strikes daily, during the past four days.