Omaha Park Service Employees Strive to Reduce Bird-Strikes

Carl T. Curtis National Park Service Midwest Regional Headquarters. Though not shown, the Missouri River channel is in the foreground. The view is looking towards the southwest, showing the Omaha downtown in the background. Picture taken September 23, 2009.

In 2004, the National Park Service moved into the Carl T. Curtis National Park Service Midwest Regional Headquarters on the Omaha riverfront, leasing the facility that was certified by the U.S. Green Building Council as being "green" and conveying the structure as being environmentally responsible.

Employees, however, soon began to notice birds were striking the glass walls which comprise the exterior of the building, which had received a gold LEED certification.

Various birds struck the exterior and carcasses could be seen on some mornings, as the facility was along the Missouri River, an urbanized locale along a major flyway for migratory birds.

Following an informal effort, and "driven by employee interest," a committee of National Park Service staff was formed to look into the matter, according to Chris Holbeck, the natural resource program manager for the Midwest Region of the National Park Service.

There has been a "floor boss" responsible for shutting off interior lights and to partially close blinds so that there was a visual barrier presented, Holbeck explained. Maintenance staff were asked to turn off lights in the evening as well.

The effort continued and during the past 2-3 years, if a strike was observed, it was recorded. In the morning, a staff person would go around the building and note any bird carcasses which might be found around the building. On the upper floor, there was also an attempt to discern any birds which may have struck the structure.

Results of this multi-year effort, indicate there are typically less than ten recorded bird strikes per year, Holbeck said. There may have been more instances than noted, because predatory species such as raccoon or mink may have taken advantage of the situation over night, to utilize a readily available food source.

Morning reflection on the north side of the National Park Service Midwest Regional Headquarters. July 5, 2008.

Comparisons were done to see if there were any differences when lights were off and shades closed, in comparison to when these two steps were not done. There was no apparent difference, Holbeck said. Perhaps attributable to the low number of detected strikes.

Species noted as fatalities during the period included the European starling and northern flicker - mostly associated with the bottom floor of the structure - with no information available on any other migratory species that have struck the glass exterior building perched on the west bank of the river, and which may be among the list of birds protected by the Migratory Bird Treaty Act.

Despite the low number of instances, the employees of the National Park Service have - "a concern for wildlife and natural resources" - and were compelled to take what action they could to reduce the number of bird strikes.

Steps taken to reduce any occurrences were learned from the internet, and were options to effectively reduce the number of birds striking the building, which is leased from a local property management firm.

"We would like to learn more about how to reduce or eliminate bird strikes," Holbeck said.

Architectural Considerations

Architectural firms tour the structure due to its designation, but apparently without any notable attention being given to known aspects of bird-friendly construction. Public building tours are provided relative to the building's LEED rating, and logically focus on architectural and engineering concepts incorporated in this structure rather than on all concepts of "green" design and construction.

Architects "need to design a building that would have few bird strikes," Holbeck said. The Curtis Building the National Park Service "commissioned and had built has bird issues." Despite its status as a LEED Gold building, this designation conveys no value as being bird-friendly, Holbeck explained. The Curtis Building was 'built to suit' through the General Services Administration, not directly between the NPS and builder.

"We are continuing with an action plan," Holbeck said, and "want to know what can be effective and that we are doing the right thing. The NPS likes to be a leader in innovation" so we continue to evaluate different facets related to the ongoing occurrence of bird strikes, he said, including:

1) How big is the problem?

2) Carrying out an action plan to understand what is happening; and

3) What should be done now to address the situation?

One essential consideration is any option to retrofit the building, Holbeck said. Options include installing "fritted glass" to replace normal, reflective glass panes. Other potential options include window screens or other cost-effective measures suitable to the building architecture, and acceptable to its owner.

The Midwest Regional Office represents 56 parks in 13 states, Holbeck noted, and an interesting retrofit option might be to install 56 glass panels etched to represent the 56 parks. Besides reducing the potential for bird strikes, these could also visually inform people of the variety of National Park Service sites within the region.

"What is the trigger point to doing something like this?" Holbeck said. Questions of cost and the possibility of installing different glass are obvious considerations, especially since the building is being leased.

"We will continue doing what we are doing" to minimize bird strikes, Holbeck said.

Bird-Friendly Lighting Schedule for Omaha Pedestrian Bridge

A recent change in illuminating the Bob Kerry Pedestrian Bridge at Omaha was the start of a schedule where the structure will pose a lesser threat to migrating birds.

Omaha pedestrian bridge, showing the cables and deck, on a foggy October morning.

The 80-90 lights illuminating the cable are now turned off at 1 a.m., whereas they had been on throughout the night.

“We’ve now implemented the regular schedule for the lights,” said Steve Scarpello, administrator of the Omaha Parks and Recreation Department. “The lights had been on longer since they were being tested.”

“The current schedule is a pretty good way to do it, since it was not necessary to always have the lights on all night,” Scarpello said. The deck and pylon lights will remain on throughout the night for safety and legal reasons.

The lighting system was designed to be flexible in the times when used, and Scarpello noted the possibility of doing “anything we want” with their scheduling and use.

There will be less energy used with a reduction in the hours the lights are on.

Also, having the cable illumination turned off at 1 a.m., will help reduce the threat of confusing lights for a myriad of birds migrating along the Missouri River valley, in comparison to their being on throughout the night.

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Lights out save birds' lives

Now that the lights are off late at night on the Bob Kerrey Pedestrian Bridge, this policy should remain in place through the first week in June.

The period of mid-April to the start of summer is when numerous wild birds migrate along the Missouri River valley. The bright lights of the bridge can confuse flying birds and very easily could cause birds of a number of species to strike the bridge cables and be killed immediately. Or they might be stunned, fall into the water and drown.

The policy of limited nightlights also should be in place from the last week of August through the end of October for autumn migrants. Turning the lights off can conserve birds and save money.

Monday, February 23, 2009. Letter in the Public Pulse, Omaha World-Herald 144(121): 6B.

River Critters Enhance Plaza of Pedestrian Bridge at Omaha

River critters that depict endangered and threatened species of the Missouri River valley are an educational feature included at the newly dedicated pedestrian bridge at the Omaha riverfront.

The objects are at a plaza at the west end of the bridge, and the primary features of a "child play area."

"We wanted a destination plaza that families could enjoy, again and again," said Steve Scarpello, director of Omaha Parks and Recreation Department. "This will be a place for people to sit and enjoy the bridge."

The stone facsimile of the Pallid Sturgeon and Piping Plover were created by Andy Dufford, of Chevos Studios in Denver, at a cost of $190,000, which includes three two-foot-in-diameter boulders depicting eggs of the Least Tern.

A stone version of a Piping Plover at the plaza of the pedestrian bridge at the Omaha riverfront.

A stone version of a Pallid Sturgeon.

"The artist worked to get species to look as close as possible to the actual species," said Carol McBryant, the chief of interpretation for the Lewis and Clark trail, National Park Service. "We worked together on how to present the material, and how it might be more interactive than typically, to make it more tactile and allow people to get involved with the species."

There is also a large rock, in which two examples of the river channel - former and present - are etched. Water can be added to a reservoir at one end, and it will go through the channels to show the difference in flows, said Pat Slaven, a planner with the department. Water jets placed under the chin of the sturgeon are also part of the features children can play with.

Another artistic feature of the plaza is the art piece "Fiber Wave," created by Makoto Sei Watanabe, from Japan. This object is a group of carbon fiber rods about twelve feet tall that will wave with the winds. The only other similar work is in Chicago, Scarpello said.

Other educational material at the pedestrian bridge will be signage with information on the life cycles of the three threatened and endangered species, the Indian perspective of the Missouri valley, history and changes of the river, and mitigation efforts, said McBryant. This signage will be placed at the "bumpouts" along the bridge sometime in November.

Some of the information to be placed at either end of the bridge, was required by the Fish and Wildlife Service as mitigation efforts from issues involving listed species, which also included the Bald Eagle.

Plantings of native grasses - mainly switchgrass - and native flowers at the plaza on the west side of the bridge, will complement the adjacent garden that is well-established at the National Park Service building. This garden includes a variety of grasses and forbs designed to help the building achieve LEED certification, ponds to retain storm-water runoff, according to McBryant. There is also a tepee, representing the Lewis and Clark era, and used for educational purposes. Other signage tells about the journey of discovery along the historic river.

Although the bridge will officially open on September 29th, the river critter area will open later, once grass and turf irrigation is installed, Scarpello said.

Overall, the cost of the plaza has been $1.8 million, all which was provided by private donations. It is expected to be officially dedicated in the spring.

"We needed something special at the bridge," Scarpello said. Private contributors "provided something the people of the city can be proud of."