Anthropogenic Causes of Wild Bird Mortality

Linda Cherkassky

doi:10.53607/wrb.v29.73

Authors

Linda Matarazzo Cherkassky Woodford Cedar Run Wildlife Refuge

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.53607/wrb.v29.73

Keywords:

Anthropogenic mortality, birds, bycatch, cats, communication towers, window strikes, methane gas burners, oil spills, pesticides, power lines, trash, wind farms

Abstract

Thousands of wild birds are brought to wildlife rehabilitators every year, mostly due to human activity. Collisions into buildings, communicationtowers, power lines, and vehicles, domestic cats, and pesticides are among the top anthropogenic causes of wild bird mortality. This manuscript explores the origin and prevalence of ten sources of mortality and how wildlife rehabilitators can help reduce the impact of these phenomena on wild birds. These additional stressors further compromise the survival of wild birds, yet they are preventable and manageable. As wildlife rehabilitators, conservationists, and educators there are reasonable steps we can take to address these issues.

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.

Author Biography

Linda Matarazzo Cherkassky, Woodford Cedar Run Wildlife Refuge

Linda Matarazzo Cherkassky has a Master of Social Work degree from the University of Pennsylvania. She has been a volunteer wildlife rehabilitator since 2001 and rescuer of feral cats for socialization and adoption since 2002. Linda sits on the Advisory Committee for the Voorhees Environmental and Cultural Education Foundation. In the past, she participated in citizen science projects including shorebird migration surveys, bird banding efforts, and Project FeederWatch.

References

ABC. American Bird Conservancy. 2000. Communication Towers: A Deadly Hazard to Birds. [Internet Report]. [cited 2010 Oct 26]. Available from: <https://www.abcbirds.org/newsandreports/special_reports/towerkillweb.PDF>.

ABC. American Bird Conservancy. 2002. MOU Protects Raptors from Electrocution. Bird Calls. 6(2): 13. Available from: <https://www.abcbirds.org/newsandreports/birdcalls_pdf/bc02sep.pdf>.

ABC. American Bird Conservancy. 2004. “Managed” Cat Colonies: The Wrong Solution to a Tragic Problem. [Internet Article]. [cited 2009 Jul 31]. Available from: <http://www.abcbirds.org/abcprograms/policy/cats/materials/colonies.pdf>.

ABC. American Bird Conservancy. 2009. Progress on Protecting Birds from Wind Turbine Collisions. Bird Calls. 13(2): 16. Available from: <http://www.abcbirds.org/newsandreports/birdcalls_pdf/bc09june.pdf>.

ABC. American Bird Conservancy. 2010a. Sudden Death on the High Seas, Longline Fishing: A Global Catastrophe for Seabirds. [Internet Report]. [cited 2010 Oct 24]. Available from: <http://www.abcbirds.org/newsandreports/special_reports/seabird_report.PDF>.

ABC. American Bird Conservancy. 2010b. Bird Collisions at Communication Towers. [Internet Page]. [cited 2010 Oct 26]. Available from: <https://www.abcbirds.org/abcprograms/policy/collisions/towers.html>.

ABC. American Bird Conservancy. 2010c. Bird Collisions with Glass and Buildings. [Internet Page]. [cited 2010 Oct 26]. Available from: .

ABC. American Bird Conservancy. 2010d. ABC Campaigns for Changes to Green Building Standards to Reduce Bird Strikes. [Internet Page]. [cited 2010 Oct 26]. Available from: <http://www.abcbirds.org/newsandreports/stories/080722_collisions.html>.

ABC. American Bird Conservancy. 2010e. Mortality Threats to Birds—Oil. [Internet Page]. [cited 2010 Oct 24]. Available from: <https://www.abcbirds.org/abcprograms/policy/toxins/oil.html>.

ABC. American Bird Conservancy. 2010f. Pesticide Profile—Diazinon. [Internet Page]. [cited 2010 Oct 27]. Available from: <http://www.abcbirds.org/abcprograms/policy/toxins/profiles/diazinon.html>.

ABC. American Bird Conservancy. 2010g. Pesticides and Birds. [Internet Page]. [cited 2010 Oct 27]. Available from: <http://www.abcbirds.org/abcprograms/policy/toxins/pesticides.html>.

ABC. American Bird Conservancy. 2010h. Frequently Asked Questions on Pesticides and Birds. [Internet Page]. [cited 2010 Oct 24]. Available from: <https://www.abcbirds.org/abcprograms/policy/toxins/FAQ.html>.

ABC. American Bird Conservancy. 2010i. What You Can Do to Minimize the Threat to Birds from Pesticides. [Internet Page]. [cited 2010 Oct 27]. Available from: <http://www.abcbirds.org/abcprograms/policy/toxins/what_you_can_do.html>.

ABC. American Bird Conservancy. 20010j. Birds and Collisions. [Internet Page]. [cited 2010 Oct 27]. Available from: <http://www.abcbirds.org/abcprograms/policy/collisions/index.html>.

ABC. American Bird Conservancy. 2010k. American Bird Conservancy’s Wind Energy Policy. [Internet Policy]. [cited 2010 Oct 26]. Available from: <http://www.abcbirds.org/abcprograms/policy/collisions/wind_policy.html>.

Adamec, R. E. 1976. The Interaction of Hunger and Preying in the Domestic Cat (Felis catus): An Adaptive Hierarchy. Behavioral Biology. 18: 263–272.

APLIC. Avian Power Line Interaction Committee. 2009. Mission. [Internet Page] [cited 2009 Jul 31]. Available from: <http://www.aplic.org/mission.htm>.

Azzarello, M. Y. and E. S. Van Vleet. 1987. Marine Birds and Plastic Pollution. Marine Ecology Progress Series. 37: 295–303. [Internet Review]. [cited 2009 Aug 1]. Available from: <http://www.int–res.com/articles/meps/37/m037p295.pdf>.

Balloon Artists and Suppliers Association of Australasia. 2009. Environment. [Internet Page]. [cited 2009 Aug 1]. Available from: <http://www.balloonartists.com.au/environment.htm>.

Beckerman, A. P., M. Boots and K. J. Gaston. 2007. Urban Bird Declines and the Fear of Cats. Animal Conservation. 10: 320–325.

CBCM. Chicago Bird Collision Monitors. Chicago, Il. 2009. [Internet Page] [cited 2009 Jul 31]. Available from: <http://www.birdmonitors.net/intro.html>.

Cornell Lab of Ornithology. 2009. Red Knot. [Internet Bird Guide]. [cited 2009 Aug 1]. Available from: <http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Red_Knot/lifehistory>.

Cornell University. 2002. Songbird Population Declines Linked to Acid Rain. Cornell Ecologists Report. [Internet News Release]. [cited 2009 Jul 31]. Available from:<http://www.news.cornell.edu/releases/Aug02/acid_rain_birds.hrs.html>.

Dauphiné, N., and R. J. Cooper. 2009. Impacts of Cats on Birds in the United States: A Review of Recent Research with Conservation and Management Recommendations. Pp 205–219 in Tundra to Tropics: Connecting Birds, Habitats, and People. International Partners in Flight Conference Proceedings. Available from: <http://www.abcbirds.org/abcprograms/policy/cats/pdf/impacts_of_free_ranging_domestic_cats.pdf>.

Greenpeace International. 2010. Bycatch. [Internet Page]. [cited 2011 Jan 12]. Available from: <http://www.greenpeace.org/international/campaigns/oceans/bycatch>.

International Bird Rescue Research Center. 2009. How Oil Affects Birds. [Internet Page]. [cited 2009 Jul 31]. Available from: <http://www.ibrrc.org/oil_affects.html>.

Klem, D., Jr. 2006. Glass: A Deadly Conservation Issue for Birds. Bird Observer. 34: 73–81. Available from: .

Leibach, J. 2008. Pain in the Glass. Audubon Magazine. Nov/Dec 2008. Available from: <http://www.audubonmagazine.org/solutions/solutions0811.html>.

Longcore, T., C. Rich, and L. M. Sullivan. 2009. Critical Assessment of Claims Regarding Management of Feral Cats by Trap–Neuter–Return. Conservation Biology. 23(4): 887–894. Available from: <http://www.abcbirds.org/abcprograms/policy/cats/pdf/Management_claims_feral_cats.pdf>.

Longcore, T., C. Rich and S. A. Gauthreaux, Jr. 2005. Scientific Basis To Establish Policy Regulating Communications Towers To Protect Migratory Birds: Response to Avatar Environmental, LLC, Report Regarding Migratory Bird Collisions With Communications Towers, WT Docket No. 03–187, Federal Communications Commission Notice of Inquiry. [Internet Report]. [cited 2010 Oct 27]. Available from: <http://www.abcbirds.org/newsandreports/special_reports/LPPtowerkill.pdf>.

Mandel, J. T., and K. L. Bildstein. 2007. Turkey Vultures Use Anthropogenic Thermals to Extend Their Daily Activity Period. The Wilson Journal of Ornithology. 119(1): 102–105. Available from: <http://www.frg.org/hms/pubs/Mandel%20 and%20Bildstein%202007.pdf>.

MSC. Marine Stewardship Council. 2010. MSC Environmental Standard for Sustainable Fishing. [Internet Page]. [cited 2011 Jan 14]. Available from:<http://www.msc.org/about–us/standards/standards/msc–environmental–standard>.

Moller, D. 2009. Burned While Getting Dinner, Raptors Hunting Down a Meal at Landfills Risk a Hot, Painful Surprise. [Internet Article]. Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources. Wisconsin Natural Resources Magazine. [cited 2009 Jul 31]. Available from: <http://dnr.wi.gov/wnrmag/2009/02/raptors.htm>.

National Audubon Society. 2009. Minimizing Window Collisions. [Internet Page]. [cited 2009 Jul 31]. Available from: <http://www.audubon.org/bird/at_home/SafeWindows.html>.

National Geographic Society. 2010. Acid Rain. [Internet Page]. [cited 2010 Oct 27]. Available from: <http://environment.nationalgeographic.com/environment/global–warming/acid–rain–overview/>.

NMFS. National Marine Fisheries Service. 1998. Managing the Nation’s Bycatch: Priorities, Programs and Actions for the National Marine Fisheries Service, NOAA. US Department of Commerce, NOAA, NMFS, Silver Spring, MD. 192 pages.

North American Bird Conservation Initiative, U.S. Committee. 2009. The State of the Birds, United States of America, 2009. US Department of Interior: Washington, DC. 36 pages.

Ocean Conservancy. 2007. International Coastal Cleanup Report 2007. [Internet Report]. [cited 2009 Jul 31]. Available from: <http://www.oceanconservancy. org/site/DocServer/ICC_AR07.pdf?docID=3741>.

Salazar, K. 2009. Secretary Salazar Releases Study Showing Widespread Declines in Bird Populations, Highlights Role of Partnerships in Conservation. The State of the Birds. [Internet News Release]. [cited 2010 Oct 27]. Available from: <http://www.stateofthebirds.org/2009/news–release>.

Sanborn, W. 2002. Lead Poisoning of North American Wildlife from Lead Shot and Lead Fishing Tackle. [Monograph on the Internet]. HawkWatch International, Inc., Salt Lake City, Utah. 35 pages. [cited 2010 Oct 27]. Available from: <http://www.hawkwatch.org/images/stories/Conservation_ Science/Publications_and_Reports/Publications/Lead_Poisoning_Paper1.pdf>.

Sibley, D. 2007. A Potential Simple Method for “Bird-Proofing” Windows. Sibley Guides Notebook. Available from: <http://sibleyguides.blogspot.com/2007/11/simple–method–for–bird–proofing–windows.html>.

Sibley, D. 2010. Causes of Bird Mortality. Available from: <http://www.sibleyguides.com/conservation/causes–of–bird–mortality/>.

Siftar, G. 2008. Raptor Burns from Landfill Methane Burners. Wildlife Rehabilitation Bulletin 26(2): 16–19.

Stallcup, R. 1991. A Reversible Catastrophe. Observer 91 (Spring/Summer): 8–9. Available from: <http://www.prbo.org/cms/docs/observer/focus/focus29cats1991.pdf>.

Stutchbury, B. 2008. Did Your Shopping List Kill a Songbird? [Internet Article]. New York Times. [cited 2009 Jul 31]. Available from: .

Tri–State Bird Rescue & Research, Inc. 2008. Effects on Wildlife, Effects of Oil. [Internet Page]. [cited 2009 Jul 31]. Available from: <http://tristatebird.org/response/effects>.

US EPA. US Environmental Protection Agency. 2008. Diazinon: Phase Out of all Residential Uses of the Insecticide. [Internet Fact Sheet]. [cited 2010 Oct19]. Available from: <http://www.epa.gov/pesticides/factsheets/chemicals/diazinon-factsheet.htm>.

USFWS. US Fish and Wildlife Service. 2003. Best Practices for Migratory Bird Care During Oil Spill Response. [Internet Document]. [cited 2009 Jul 31]. Available from:<http://www.fws.gov/contaminants/OtherDocuments/best_practices.pdf>.

USFWS. US Fish and Wildlife Service. 2007. Cosco Busan Oil Spill Environmental Contaminants Program. [Internet Fact Sheet]. [cited 2009 Jul 31]. Available from: <http://www.fws.gov/contaminants/Documents/CoscoBusan.pdf>.

USFWS. US Fish and Wildlife Service. 2009. Contaminant Issues–Oil Field Waste Pits. [Internet Page]. [cited 2009 Aug 1]. Available from: <http://www.fws.gov/mountain–prairie/contaminants/contaminants1a.html>.

Williams. T. 2000. Zapped! Audubon Magazine. Jan/Feb 2000. Available from:<http://audubonmagazine.org/incite/incite0001.html>.

Vyas, N. B. 1999. Factors Influencing Estimation of Pesticide–related Wildlife Mortality. Toxicology and Industrial Health 15: 186–191. Available from: <http://training.fws.gov/EC/Resources/pesticides/Ecological%20Incidents/Factors%20Influencing%20Pesticide%20Mortality.pdf>.