City Must do All Possible to Save Birds

My supportive letter in the Public Pulse. Omaha World-Herald 149(29): 6B.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service proposal for a lighting schedule at the Bob Kerrey Pedestrian Bridge (Nov. 4 World-Herald) is a compromise regarding the reality of bird strikes in eastern Omaha. The spring and autumn periods suggested are associated with peaks of migrational movement along the Missouri River valley by a wonderful variety of species.

There are hundreds of bird strikes in the downtown environs every year. They can occur any day between early March through November, based upon my investigation of more than 500 dates since May 2008. Dead or disabled birds can be easily found.

City of Omaha officials should do everything possible to minimize hazards to migratory birds, especially due to lighting at the Kerrey bridge. The cityscape is already very dangerous to so many birds, and steps to reduce the tragic impacts should be made by public and private entities.

Avian Collisions - Bob Kerrey Pedestrian Bridge

This is a copy of the email sent by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to Brook Bench, director of the Omaha Parks Recreation and Public Property department; a copy was also sent to the nongame biologist at the Nebraska Game and parks Commission. This letter was the basis for an article "Threat to migrating birds puts spotlight on Bob Kerrey bridge" by Nancy Gaarder that was in the Omaha World-Herald on November 4th. There are some supportive comments included with the online article.

"The purpose of this E-mail is to recommend a minor modification to the current lighting regime at the Bob Kerrey Pedestrian Bridge to minimize the risk of birds colliding with the lighted support cables and pylons during their spring and fall migrations. Protection of migratory birds is a priority to the Fish and Wildlife Service and Nebraska Game and Parks Commission in Nebraska and we have worked with numerous organizations to find ways to avoid and minimize the risks posed to migratory birds in our state.

"As you are probably aware, the Missouri River provides an important migration corridor for birds in the spring and fall. Many of these birds migrate at night and rest during the day. Sources of light can attract migrating birds, especially if these lights are located along a flight pathway and are illuminated at a time when birds are looking to rest after a night of migration. We believe that this is the time when birds tend to collide with structures and are injured and killed. For this reason, we request that you consider the following modification to the current lighting at the Pedestrian Bridge.

"We request that you shut off the lights on the cables and the vertical pylons at 11:00 pm as is currently done. However, we request that the lights not be turned back on until sunrise during the spring and fall migrations only. Spring migration is from April 15-May 31 and fall migration is from September 1-October 31. Currently, it is our understanding that the lights are turned back on at 5:00 am year round. Path lighting should remained unchanged to ensure a safe environment for those using the bridge as should any lights associated with warning for aircraft or vessels as required by FAA and the Coast Guard, respectively.

"Our effort here is to try and be proactive and work with you on what appears to be a somewhat minor modification to the current lighting regime to protect birds as they migrate along the Missouri River. At this point, we are unaware of any birds that have collided with the lighted cables or pylons at the Pedestrian Bridge. It is likely, however, that collisions have occurred and dead and injured birds simply fall into the river and go undetected. As you are probably aware, the vast majority of migrating birds are protected by the Migratory Bird Treaty Act.

"Thank you for your consideration and assistance in the protection of birds as they migrate through Nebraska. Please contact me if I can be of assistance to you on this matter or if you have any questions. Thanks."

Robert R. Harms

Fish and Wildlife Biologist

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

203 West Second Street

Grand Island, NE 68801

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.