Unknown (Bldg. 11A).

Photo: Chrissy Barton

It was a chilly day for surveying. Even this Northern Mockingbird was puffed up to stay warm. 

This project wouldn't be a success without everyone here!  Thank you Catherine, Elizabeth, Kara, Kelsey, Chrissy, Katie, Mike, and Becky!!
Unfortunately Julie, Katy, Laura, and Scott couldn't make it for the picture. But hopefully we will catch them next semester.

Photo: Laura Veru

White-throated Sparrow (Bldg. 8C).

Collision Course

Scientists struggle to make windows safer for birds

https://www.sciencenews.org/article/collision-course

Golden-crowned Kinglet (Bldg. 1B). This is the first bird we've found at this particular building.  Note by 'bird' I mean feathers.  Due to a high scavenger rate, a lot of the time we are left identifying feathers instead of intact birds.

Northern Cardinal (Bldg. 3B).

One goal of this project is to bring attention to a problem that many do not see.  Millions of birds that are victims of window collisions, just like this Indigo bunting, go unnoticed or are hidden by landscaping. 

Indigo Bunting (Bldg. 11B). This male was likely born this summer and was learning his way south for the winter. 

Indigo Buntings migrate at night, using the stars for guidance. The birds possess an internal clock that enables them to continually adjust their angle of orientation to a star—even as that star moves through the night sky.

The oldest known wild Indigo Bunting was 8 years, 3 months old.
(http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Indigo_Bunting/lifehistory)

 

Bird-Window Collisions Increase Avian Mortality

 “We have the solution. We just have to convince people that we have the power to take some action. I need people to take it seriously,” said Dr. Klem.

As human construction continues to expand and skyscrapers touch the skies, prevention of avian mortality is becoming an increasingly important issue. Buildings littered with windows have the opportunity to take action against the creation of unnecessary victims.

Taking simple precautions can prevent the deaths of, quite literally, billions of lives. Taking Dr. Klem’s advice, individuals can act as catalysts for a better future for avian populations worldwide.

http://thestroudcourier.com/2013/11/01/bird-window-collisions-increase-avian-mortality/

on a side note...

A volunteer emailed me to say she didn't find any birds during her survey. A cold front was moving in so I suspect the birds were laying low today.  However, she did tell me she found $16 at one of the buildings.  She told me, "....bird surveying really pays off!!"  This made my day.

Not everything we find is depressing, or has feathers. Here is an eastern pipistrelle hanging out at one of the buildings. Photo: Mike St. Germain.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eastern_pipistrelle

Wood Thrush or Brown Thrasher body feathers (Bldg. 24C).

Wood Thrush

Brown Thrasher

                                                     

Not on the official survey period. Stunned Golden-crowned Kinglet. It was able to fly away, however many birds that survive window collisions have a difficult time recovering.

White-throated sparrow (Bldg. 11C).  This was an especially tough week for birds.

Note the reflection in window. Photo: Becky Keller

Photo: Chrissy Barton

Dark-eyed Junco (Bldg. 12C) and Golden-crowned Kinglet (Bldg. 3C).

Photo: Chrissy Barton

Photo: Chrissy Barton

Hermit Thrush (top; Bldg. 16A) and Song Sparrow (middle and bottom; Bldg. 16D).

We are often in a race with other animals (feral cats, raccoons, crows, skunks, etc.) that scavenge these birds-as evidenced by this Song Sparrow.

Photo: Catherine Kim

Blue jay feather.  Blue jay's are beautiful birds.  This feather is not evidence of a window collision, just a beautiful feather that likely fell off naturally.

Unknown (Bldg. 11C).

Fox Sparrow (Bldg. 11D).

People have spotted individual Fox Sparrows in Greenland, Iceland, Ireland, Germany, and Italy. Some of these vagrant birds probably made part of their transatlantic journey by ship, after touching down to rest on a vessel far from shore.

Fox Sparrow fossils from the Pleistocene (about 11,000 years ago) have been found in Pennsylvania, Virginia, and at the La Brea tar pits in California.

The oldest Fox Sparrow on record was at least 10 years and 4 months old. It was caught and re-released by a California bird bander in 2003.

(http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Fox_Sparrow/lifehistory)

White-throated sparrow (Bldg. 4C). Window collision likely happened after it was startled off a nearby feeder.

It is best to place your feeder away from windows.

Make sure your bird feeder is not reflected in a window.

Placing the feeder directly on the window did not work in this case.