Milwaukee bird-window collision deaths downtown; sadly too common
SKYFOX Milwaukee skyline
MILWAUKEE - The harsh reality of tall shiny buildings is that come fall and spring during bird migration they become a death trap.
On Thursday, Oct. 5 within a 30-minute period, FOX6 Meteorologist Eric Manges found eight dead Yellow-bellied Sapsuckers in downtown Milwaukee.
This member of the woodpecker family while not rare is still an uncommon occurrence to see let alone to come across on a public sidewalk.
"There was a huge migration push these last few days. This was likely a flock of them moving through and they collided with a building," adds Lindsay Focht, the Raptor Program Director for the Schlitz Audubon.
Sidewalks and vegetation underneath tall buildings facing north are common places to find deceased birds this time of year. But likely many more go unseen on the edges of buildings. Off the 5th floor of the 411 East Wisconsin Center, there were four dead Sapsuckers alone.
With a more meticulous survey no doubt more dead birds could be found, but it doesn't get back to the root issue of the collisions in the first place. Migratory birds travel mostly at night. Visibility is already reduced and with light pollution from cities, their ability to navigate is even further compromised.
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"Cities around the country are starting to do 'lights out' evenings during these peak migration weeks," Focht said.
However, no such program currently exists in Milwaukee.
What's even more puzzling is why there are so many of just one species. It is common for birds to migrate in groups. In reference to so many of the same species Focht mentions. "That's odd, but not too surprising. They're flock migrants, so they move in groups."
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker's mating range includes northern Wisconsin and much of southern Canada. Yellow-bellied Sapsuckers commonly migrate through southeast Wisconsin on their way to their wintering grounds in the southeast United States closer to the Gulf of Mexico.
Lake Michigan and forested bluffs provide easy and safe passage for birds at night and makes eastern Wisconsin a hotspot for Midwest birding. But Milwaukee and Chicago act as huge obstacles for species trying to make safe passage thanks to our skyscrapers.
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Clear and reflective surfaces along with bright lights is an environmental factor we've forced wildlife to adapt to in an evolutionarily speaking short period of time. Bird collisions aren't completely avoidable, but there are ways you can help at your own home. Window decals, hanging beads, and even keeping your curtains closed can help reduce the frequency of collisions at your home.