Towers and structures

Towers and structures, especially those lit at night, are other significant sources of bird mortality. Not only do cellular phone towers, huge antennae, and tall buildings change the aesthetic quality of our surroundings, but these structures also kill millions of birds every year. According to a report compiled by the American Bird Conservancy (ABC), Hawk Mountain Sanctuary and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, there are over 77,000 communication towers in the U.S. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service estimates that 4-5 million birds are killed when they collide with the towers or guy wires that stabilize the towers. But, the loss of birds may be as great as 40 million per year. Most of these are neotropical migratory birds trying to navigate their migratory routes. Lights on towers and buildings disorient migratory birds and contribute to the mortality. The ABC report documented losses to 230 different species, 51 of which are rare, threatened, or endangered. Migratory bird mortality is expected to increase as the number of cellular telephone towers and other tall structures increase. The Fatal Light Awareness Program (FLAP) and TowerKill.Com are good sites for further information.