Today volunteers from the Baltimore Bird Club began the data collection
phase of an exciting project which we hope will lead to a safer Baltimore
for migratory birds.   We have begun monitoring select buildings downtown
before dawn to identify key hazard areas and count the number of birds that
die in migration colliding with buildings.   Today we found a dead ovenbird
downtown.   Fortunately the weather was clear last night which hopefully
made for easy flying for most migrants. 

 

As noted in a prior issue of the MD Yellowthroat, the American Bird
Conservancy now has a Building Collisions Manager (Karen Cotton) dedicated
to raising awareness on this issue and to establish Lights Out Programs
throughout the country.  She has been very helpful to us as we plan this
project.  Additionally, Karen is working with several conservation
organizations and architects to create a specific LEED ID credit for
bird-safety for the US Green Building Council.  They hope to have this
credit drafted and adopted in the near future.  More information on their
efforts can be found here:
http://www.abcbirds.org/conservationissues/threats/buildings.html

 

The Baltimore project is in its infancy but has great potential.  If anyone
would like to assist us with this project, we could use expertise in a
number of areas:  

 

-Building monitoring at dawn downtown.  You will not be by yourself, we go
in pairs.  Right now we are covering buildings minimum twice a week but
would love to expand this to more days with more volunteers.  

-Website development/hosting

-If you know architects or building managers in Baltimore who could help
spread the word about this issue which kills at least 100 million birds a
year, we'd love their participation as well 

-Folks who may be able to transport injured birds to a licensed
rehabilitator on an ad-hoc basis 

 

If you'd like to participate in Baltimore's piece of the effort, please
contact me.  Thanks to those on Osprey who have already helped by donating
photos for use, volunteering to monitor/help injured birds we find, and/or
volunteering for our future advisory committee.    

 

Wendy Olsson