Category: Deep Thoughts (Page 5 of 6)

Birds Dying in the Southwest

September 16, 2020 / / 0 Comments
Barn Swallow Ballona Creek Bike Path

Barn Swallow, Ballona Creek Bike Path, Los Angeles, CA

Migrating Birds Dying in Southwest

I recently did a post about how infrequently I find dead birds despite billions of them dying every year. Now come reports of unusually high numbers of migrating birds being found dead in the southwest. You can find stories on it here,  here, and here. No certainty yet on the cause. Possible culprits include an early cold snap forcing migration before birds were ready, and the fires and smoke in the west causing early migration or forcing birds off their customary migratory routes. I imagine Antifa bears some of the blame, too, and armed patriots are planning on Facebook to gather in New Mexico this weekend to protect the birds.

2020 keeps finding ways to be the worst year. 

 

Dead Birds

August 11, 2020 / / 0 Comments
Dead Rock PIgeon

Rock Pigeon, Loyola Law School, Los Angeles, CA

Dead Birds are Hard to Find

According to one estimate, over 13 million birds die every DAY in just the United States.  That adds up to 5 billion dead birds a year in the United States. Or, by another measure, it is as many dead birds in two minutes as there have been tweets by Donald Trump while he has been President. Given those numbers, it’s hard to believe that I only occasionally come across a dead bird. 

Dead Barn Owl
Barn Owl, Kenneth Hahn Park, Los Angeles, CA
Dead Great Horned Owl
Great Horned Owl, Highway 24, Utah

 

Dead American Coot

American Coot, Ballona Freshwater Marsh, Los Angeles, CA

Where do all these millions of dead birds go? My guess is that a big number are eaten by cats or dogs or coyotes or hawks. If they’re killed by predation, then it’s no surprise we don’t find them. Take the House Finch in this Cooper’s Hawk’s talons – if I’d walked by 10 minutes later, there’d likely have been no dead bird to find. 

Coopers Hawk with House Finch

House Finch, Ballona Freshwater Marsh, Los Angeles, CA

It also seems likely that most birds don’t die on roads, sidewalks, or hiking trails, where we’re likely to see them. Instead, they die in the brush, off the path, or in lakes and rivers. And scavengers and insects probably make quick work of the bodies, further reducing the chance that we stumble upon a carcass.

Mallard
Black-billed Magpie
Northern Fulmar
Western Gull

 

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