DEAD BIRDS: Late last week, we told readers
about the mysterious death of more than 140 birds on a single day
in October near the Quehanna Wild Area.
[neWLine]
Our report had explained the Pennsylvania Game
Commission’s preliminary findings indicated they had died as a
result of injury brought on by
“”collisions.””[neWLine]
How strange! Strange enough that we decided to return to this
story today.[neWLine]
The birds, which were of a variety of species, underwent a
battery of tests at the Penn State Animal Diagnostic Lab which
ruled out disease as cause of death – obviously important in these
days of the Avian flu virus etc.[neWLine]
According to Game Commission ornithologist Doug Gross, “”The
birds had abundant body fat, and otherwise were in good general
body condition. The gizzards were empty. Preliminary results also
show no significant lesions in the major organs. The bacterial
cultures that have been completed are negative as
well.””[neWLine]
Instead, the birds “”collided”” with hard objects, as there was
fresh bruising on the thorax, neck and skull of several specimens.
Also, some birds showed signs of internal bleeding in the trachea
and lungs, and a few had an indented skull.[neWLine]
And, interestingly, he had this to add: “”In my career,
I’ve looked at hundreds of birds that died from impacts with towers
and other structures. These carcasses had the same tell-tale
injuries and appearance; they were found on their back with folded
wings.””
[neWLine]
A partial list of species that died in this event include:
red-eyed vireo; gray-cheeked thrush; northern parula; magnolia
warbler; Cape May warbler; black-throated blue warbler;
Blackburnian warbler; bay-breasted warbler; blackpoll warbler;
American redstart; ovenbird; common yellowthroat; and scarlet
tanager.[neWLine]
As we noted last week, these birds are southbound,
long-distance, neo-tropical migrant songbirds, mostly of boreal
origins. The theory is that many of these birds were migrating from
the conifer forests of Canada to their winter home in South
America.[neWLine]
On the way, the birds were met with weather conditions
which reportedly are “”classic for a fall bird collision scenario””
– “”a decreasingly low cloud horizon accompanying an advancing low
front and ground fog that followed clear skies associated with a
high front.””
[neWLine]
As a result, of course, the birds flew into buildings and other
items within the Quehanna Boot Camp and died.
