Does this have to be an either/or question? What if, for example,
fireworks always frighten these flocks from their nighttime roosts
but they don't usually die because they don't encounter severe
weather while in flight?
Dawn Stover
On Jan 7, 2011, at 12:05 AM, Lennart Suselbeek wrote:
Could it not be so that its mostly red-winged blackbirds and starlings
because they are the only ones that massively cruise / hang / fly
at the
height at which most of the fireworks crack?
That would plead for the fireworks theory again... However, if
these birds
are normally hanging out at a much higher altitude, the weather
theory makes
more sense to me!
Best regards,
Lennart Suselbeek
On Fri, Jan 7, 2011 at 3:21 AM, malcolm McCallum <
[email protected]> wrote:
THis may be complete coincidence, but about a month ago (and I'm
on the
Arkansas/Texas/Louisiana/Oklahoma border) my spouse and I were
commenting
that it seemed like there were fewer large flocks of birds flying
by our
house this year.
The way we take such great care of this planet, its a wonder
anything is
alive.
Malcolm
On Thu, Jan 6, 2011 at 6:48 PM, David L. McNeely
<[email protected]> wrote:
The Arkansas event included starlings, as well as red-winged
blackbirds.
For all we know, some other birds were affected, but most birds
do not
flock in many thousands together, and so a kill would not be as
likely to
be
noted. Red-winged blackbirds, and to a lesser extent starlings, do.
Starlings often flock with blackbirds, and so would be likely to be
affected with them.
Despite the suggestion that fireworks are an unlikely cause, a large
fireworks display was reported to have occurred in Beebe near the
time of
the event. So was severe weather reported in the area.
David McNeely
---- "Judith S. Weis" <[email protected]> wrote:
But why would this affect just red-winged blackbirds and not other
birds?
Dear ECOLOG-L Members,
I have an ornithologist friend who works for the Dept. of the
Environment
in
D.C., and in a recent correspondence I asked for his opinion on
the
mass
bird kills in the news. Here is his reply for any who are
interested.
"The red-winged blackbird and other species kills were most likely
microbursts and windshear associated with the storm system
which had
moved
through earlier. Microbursts can have wind gusts between 60 and
120
miles
an
hour, that would create plenty of force to mimic hurricane
conditions
and
do
some real trauma. Is was not disease or some type of
contamination.
You
can
see a few birds staggering around with broken wings on the news
videos.
I
believe the birds were either crushed in the air of forced
downward
with
enough energy to kill them. I don’t buy the firework theory. If it
were
true
we would have giant bird kill problems every July 4th."
Cheers,
Evan D. Clark
On Mon, Jan 3, 2011 at 12:53 PM, J. Michael Nolan <
[email protected]> wrote:
List Members....
Apologies for cross-posting.
Interesting story for all Ecologists, Biologists......
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-12105157
Really do hate it when people use the term "Blackbird" and
will tell
you
why, should want to hear.
By the way, this is the first Bird sp. to migrate north in the
Spring.
Obviously, we have seen this before and will be curious about any
follow-ups to this. Typical media usually does a poor job of
following
up,
unless it is that will catch our attention.
Thank you and have a great week.
Mike Nolan
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