What
Kills Birds?
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Human Causes
of Bird Fatalities
Curry
& Kerlinger has compiled the following information from environmental
organizations and goverment agencies.
This
list is meant to inform the public and to put wind turbine fatalities
in perspecitve.
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| Glass
Windows |
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Bird
Deaths a year: 100 to 900+ million
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| Dr.
Daniel Klem of Muhlenberg College has done studies over a period
of 20 years, looking at bird collisions with windows. His conclusion:
glass kills more birds than any other human related factor. |
| House
Cats |
| Bird
Deaths a year: 100 Million |
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The
National Audubuon Society says 100 million birds a year fall prey
to cats. Dr. Stan Temple of the University of Wisconsin estimates
that in Wisconsin alone, about 7 million birds a year are killed
by cats
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| Automobiles
/ Trucks |
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Bird
Deaths a year: 50 to 100 Million
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| Scientists
estimate the number of birds killed by cars and trucks on the nation's
highways to be 50 to 100 million a year. Those statistics were cited
in reports published by the National Institute for Urban Wildlife
and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. |
| Electric
Transmission Line Collisions |
| Bird
Deaths a year:
up to 174 million |
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Estimates
made by the U.S. Fish and Wildife Service demonstrate millions
of birds die each year as a result of colliding with transmission
lines.
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| Agriculture |
| Bird
Deaths a year: 67 million |
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Pesticides
likely poison an estimated 67 million birds per year according
to the Smithsonian Institution. Cutting hay may kill up to a million
more birds a year.
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| Land
Development |
| Bird
Deaths a year: unknown |
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Suburban
sprawl is a silent but deadly killer. The National Audubon Society
says loss of bird habitat is the greatest threat to bird populations.
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| Communication
Towers |
| Bird
Deaths a year: 4 to 10 million |
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U.S.
Fish and Wildlife Service estimates that bird collisions with
tall, lighted communications towers, and their guy wires result
in 4 to 10 million bird deaths a year.
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Stock
Tank Drowning
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| Bird
Deaths a year: unknown |
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U.S.
Fish and Wildlife Service biologists and other conservationists
believe that large numbers of birds inadvertently drown in livestock
water tanks.
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| Oil
and Gas Extraction |
| Bird
Deaths a year: 1 to 2 million |
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The
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service reports that up to 2 million birds
died landing in oil pits to bathe and drink in 1997. Fish and
Wildlife says netting has improved that situation somewhat. There
are no overall estimates for the number of birds affected by oil
and gas spills, and oil and gas extractions (and transport.)
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| Logging
and Strip Mining |
| Bird
Deaths a year:
unknown |
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Logging
and strip mining destroy bird habitat. According to the National
Audubon Society, habitat destruction is the leading cause of bird
population declines.
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| Commercial
Fishing |
| Bird
Deaths a year:
unknown |
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The
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the Ornithological Council
report that 40 thousand seabirds per year are killed in the Gulf
of Alaska by longline fishing operations. These same sources say
long lining and gill netting kill large numbers of birds in other
parts of the country as well.
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| Electrocutions |
| Raptor
Deaths a year:
more than 1,000 |
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Experts
estimate that more than one thousand hawks, eagles, falcons and
owls are electrocuted on transmission lines and poles each year.
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| Hunting |
| Bird
Deaths a year:
100 + million |
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According
to the U.S. Fish and Wildife Service, more than 100 million ducks,
geese, swans, doves, shorebirds, rails, cranes, among others are
harvested legally each year.
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Click
here for a complete summary of studies on wind turbines and birds.
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