Sapsucker Disabled at CenturyLink Center Omaha

A disabled yellow-bellied sapsucker was found disabled Monday, October 6, at the west side of the CenturyLink Center in north downtown, Omaha. The bird was obviously in distress when found about 1:30 p.m. It was shaking its head wildly and erratically, and could scarcely retain its grasp on the concrete base of the window expanse near the northmost entrance to the facility.

The bird was quickly caught and moved to the base of the row of trees just to the west. The bird seemed to recover satisfactorily as it was soon climbing along the tree bark.

Here, the sapsucker is looking much livelier after it had been moved to this tree, and recovered sufficiently to climb up the trunk.

This is the fourth record of a sapsucker window-bird strike in Omaha. The three other occurrences have all be fatalities. This is the first instance of this occurring at the CenturyLink Center, but is one more of the more than 500 bird-window strikes documented to have occurred at this building.

On this same date, a juvenile Yellow-bellied sapsucker was found dead at the front door glass of the Mercer mansion at 40th and Cuming Streets, as reported on NEbirds.

Tree Sparrows Killed at CenturyLink Center Windows

Three American Tree Sparrows were found dead at the CenturyLink Center on December 3rd. This is the latest date known for a bird-window strike in the Omaha area. The last known records was five days prior, and this is also the only known occurrence of this sort.

The carcasses were found at three different spots during the morning visit. They were brought together to get documentary photographs.

The sparrows were found along the west side of the building, which is the deadliest building for migratory birds in Omaha.

Each carcass was taken from the scene of their demise, and disposed of properly at a natural setting, rather than their likely ending up being indifferently thrown into the trash.

Carcasses Convey Continual Carnage at CenturyLink Center

Autumnal migration is underway along the Missouri River as prominently indicated by anyone observant of wildbirds at natural and unnatural settings within the valley.

The passage of so many sorts of birds is also sordidly shown by the number of wildbirds being found dead at buildings in downtown Omaha.

Ongoing carnage was vividly conveyed by the number of bird carcasses located at the CenturyLink Center on the morning of October 5th. A dead female Common Yellowthroat was the first fatality found along the building's west facade, about 40 feet from the north corner. Further south a bit of a ways, at the first section of glass north of the main convention center entryway, there were six carcasses, representing four species: Clay-colored Sparrow (2), Tennessee Warbler (2), another female Common Yellowthroat and a Lincoln's Sparrow. The remaining two fatalities were another Clay-colored Sparrow at the doorway of the southmost convention center entryway, and a third Tennessee Warbler near the doors of the north-facing entryway towards the south end of the west side.

Each of these carcasses were moved from where found, and disposed of in a natural manner proper for wildbirds.

A new discovery of the morning were two additional carcasses found near the paver blocks on the east side of the landscaping areas west of the west facade. There was another female Common Yellowthroat and another Lincoln's Sparrow immediately next to the blocks. It appeared that the carcasses had been blown to where they were found. They most likely were fatalities from Friday — when a survey was not done due to rainy weather in the morning — and a result of facility maintenance crews used a blower to move leaves and other material away from the building, the bird carcasses were among the debris.

Since 2008, when surveys for window-strike instances were started, there has never been an instance when ambient winds were enough to move any bird carcass multiple feet from where it had originally fallen upon striking a glass wall. The distance from where bird carcasses are typically found at the CenturyLink Center — usually within a meter of the glass facade — is too extensive for an undisturbed carcass to get moved. A predator did not move the formerly living birds, as there were no signs of predatory impacts on the slight forms of the lifeless birds.

If this is the case, it indicates another disrespect to wildbirds, as now they are considered as nothing more than a leaf to blow away in disregard. Previously, bird carcasses have been seen in the facilities trash receptacles.

This is one of the largest counts of window strikes documented on a single day at this location. There had previously been 12 found on September 25, 2008.

Elsewhere on Saturday, the other most significant observation was three disabled Lincoln's Sparrows at the Zesto Building, across the street from the CenturyLink Center parking lot. There were three disabled birds present at the doorway of the Lids Locker Room, the entrance to Blatt Beer and Table and the east glass wall for Zesto. These were the first casualties noticed during the morning bicycle survey. Other, more lively birds could be heard and seen among the landscaping within the area, including the plantings associated with the CenturyLink Center west parking lot and along the south side of TDAmeritrade Park.

Three carcasses were also found at the Zorinsky Federal Building; two on the west side and one on the north side. The species: Lincoln's Sparrow, Marsh Wren and another one of the so-much abused female Common Yellowthroat. Perhaps they were found because no one was picking up trash because of the government shutdown.

This was the situation a couple of day's earlier at the Curtis Park Service Building, along the riverfront.

Architects associated with the construction of these facilities have wrought a death zone with their inclusion of landscape plantings of various sorts. The birds land among the vegetation while migrating, thinking it is a safe haven, and then many of them slam into a reflective scene and are either killed or disabled. Adding to the problem are City of Omaha officials and others who want "green features" included as features for buildings within the city-scape of the river city.

The results? Hundreds of birds are being killed or harmed every year!!! And the extent of dangerous places is increasing due to new construction which adds glass facades to a city-scape which wildbirds have to deal with while trying to survive in an tainted natural world ...

Because of a running event originating at the CenturyLink Center Omaha at first morning on October 6th, there were no carcasses found since people and their accoutrements and prevalent promotional displays. It was a chilly morning, with constant drizzle and steady winds making it not so pleasant to be riding a bicycle.

On the morning of October 7th, sixteen bird-window strikes were documented in downtown Omaha. It was a morning with temperatures in the mid-40s, no wind and clear skies subsequent to the weather upheaval during the weekend. It was obvious that migratory movement would occur, and the results were indicative.

Trashing Wildbirds at CenturyLink Center Omaha

Bird mortality continues to occur at the CenturyLink Center Omaha, especially in the past few days of this May, 2013.

A response to the mortality is indicative.

Within the past week, there have been four instances of bird carcasses being found in different trash receptacles along the west facade of the building. The known records, obvious without "sifting" through the trash, are:

1. 11 May: Yellow Warbler throw into a trash receptacle at the southern extent of the west side (as reported previously, and with a picture)
2. 15 May: female Indigo Bunting, near the southern extent of the west wall
3. 16 May: a male Common Yellowthroat and a Gray Catbird found in two different trash receptacles on the morning of May 17th. Both of these birds had apparently been killed by striking the glass on the previous date, the carcasses were seen, and then and then disposed of to ensure they were not present at any future time, including the survey the next morning.

Rather than address the issue, and despite any letters sent by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to assist in reducing mortality of wildbirds, it is certainly much easier to just throw carcasses into the trash.

An additional Common Yellowthroat carcass found the morning of May 16th, at the west side of the CentryLink Center Omaha.

Security staff associated with the Qwest Center Omaha were observed throwing bird carcasses into trash receptacles at this building, in both September and October 2009.

Oriole Suffering

One of the worst instances of a bird suffering from a window-strike at this building was obvious early on the morning of May 16th. An Orchard Oriole, was found south of the southern most convention center entry, east of the north-facing entry on the west side of the building. There was not only blood dripping from its beak, but a few other drops nearby. This bird could not be rescued or taken to a safer space, because it flew away. Its prospects for survival seemed dismal, but its fate is not known.

This is only the second instance of an Orchard Oriole being a victim of a window-strike in eastern Omaha, in the period from May 2008.

A video clip shows the suffering condition of bird after striking glass at the most dangerous building for migratory birds in eastern Omaha.

Ineffective Decal Replacement Occurring at CenturyLink

Windows are being cleaned and decals are currently being replaced at the CenturyLink Center. The process involves removal of the decals put in place last year, cleaning the glass, and placement of new decals.

The additional cost for the decal portion of this work is not known, though it must be significant as it's a time-consuming process.

Notice the decals do not occur until the seventh "tier" of glass above the ground. Many of the bird strikes which occur at this locale are associated with ground habitat.

The decals are obvious in this picture taken April 8th.

Despite the decals on the upper three-fourths of the window area, the bottom portion does not have any decals placed upon the glass. This dramatically reduces the efficacy of their being used.

Last season, there were more bird-strike occurrences at CenturyLink that any of the past five years during which records have been kept.

This is the decal product being placed upon the glass.

An alternative option needs to be pursued by the Metropolitan Entertainment and Convention Authority, because money is being spent annually, yet significant numbers of migratory birds continue to be killed or dramatically injured at the west wall of the building.

Last year the decals were replaced in early May.

Research Denotes Early Season Bird-Strike at Omaha

The earliest date in the year for deaths associated with birds striking windows in eastern Omaha occurred on March 15, 2013.

Two dead American Tree Sparrows were found on the west side of the CenturyLink Center, in the 08:00 hour. The date of occurrence for these two fatalities, was 22 days previous to any other know window strikes, as first recorded in 2008, and obviously expands the temporal period for these events. Previously, the first instances were during the latter days during the first week of April.

This is not the first record for this species being killed at this building. It happens every year and are among the more than 450 records documented along its west side.

Both carcasses were removed for suitable disposal elsewhere amongst a green space, rather than getting tossed into a nearby trash can!

This is the most dangerous building in the area, with more bird deaths having occurred here than at any other structure in eastern Omaha.

The building managers are apparently indifferent to the bird deaths, as they have done nothing suitable to reduce the fatalities, and despite a letter of concern sent to them a few weeks ago by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. The Metropolitan Entertainment and Convention Authority manages this City of Omaha owned facility.

Feds ask Centurylink Officials to Reduce Bird Strikes

A letter sent by a federal agency to a CenturyLink Center official asks that efforts be taken to deal with the ongoing deaths of migratory birds at this building on the Omaha riverfront.

Despite attempts to reduce bird collisions, i.e., decals on the glass of the upper facade on the west side, strikes continue to occur, according to the letter sent from the Ecological Services, Nebraska Field Office, of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

The federal agency "has record" of 440 collisions here during the past five years.

"The Service requests your participation in implementing additional techniques to minimize collisions." - FWS letter verbage

"This number of bird deaths is higher than any other commercial building in Omaha for which we have data and advocates the need for additional corrective measures to be taken," said the letter, signed by Michael D. George, the Nebraska field supervisor.

Included in the letter was an indication that migratory birds are "protected" by provisions of the Migratory Bird Treaty Act, which prohibits the "direct intentional and/or unintentional take (i.e., killing or injuring) or migratory birds."

This letter indicated an interest to "working collaboratively" to find solutions to the problem. "Accordingly, our office would be happy to assist you by providing technical assistance and expertise on this matter," the letter said. Specific details were given on the person to contact at the field office in Grand Island.

The letter was dated January 24, 2013, and sent to Roger Dixon, of the Metropolitan Entertainment and Convention Authority, at a North 10th Street address.