The USGS has determined that the blackbirds in Arkansas “died from impact trauma” and that is consistent with what the state determined, which is that “such trauma was probably a result of the birds being startled by loud noises on the night of Dec. 31, arousing them and causing them to fly into objects such as houses or trees.”
Also “Although wildlife die-offs always pose a concern, they are not all that unusual,” said Jonathan Sleeman, director of the USGS NWHC in Madison, Wis., which is completing its analyses of the Arkansas and Louisiana birds. “It’s important to study and understand what happened in order to determine if we can prevent mortality events from happening again.”
Now shut up. The world isn’t ending and neither the government nor anyone else is killing blackbirds as some kind of sinister plot.
Aah they agree with me
http://peregrinesbirdblog.blogspot.com/2011/01/dead-birds-falling-from-sky-and.html
dude, you’re ruining the conspiracytheorising with your “USGS” determinations. That’s what the man wants you to do!! The road to 2012 starts now!![/idiocy]
Sure Corey, that’s what they want you to believe…
*cue x-files theme song*
Everyone knows it’s because of the gays…
http://www.boxturtlebulletin.com/2011/01/10/29305
*facepalm*
Well, as someone who is still involved with this issue both in attempts to quell panic and conspiracy theories and to point people to the real problems facing birds, I can certainly attest to a sense of frustration in the way the public has reacted to this and the way many news outlets have handled the stories.
However, I wish rather than dismissing what happened in Arkansas, more people would use it as a teaching moment to point out that in the United States, perhaps half a billion or more birds die after smacking into man-made objects each year. Undoubtedly, some of this is additive mortality; that is, it kills birds that otherwise would have gone on to reproduce and continue the existence and evolution of their species.
What happened to the blackbirds in Arkansas won’t affect their population numbers. But what happens to seabirds or raptors on wind turbines and powerlines, and what happens to warblers on skyscrapers and cell towers could very well affect theirs.
Which is what i said (about most people will soon forget this and go back to their normally destructive ways without a backward glance)- still call me cynical, Duncan?
Don’t get me wrong – bird mortality due to human activity is very important, but this single incident was so overblown and hyped that it was insane. There will be no in depth look at the problems birds face because in depth doesn’t sell. Hype and flash and “OH MY GOD IT’S THE END OF THE WORLD!” sells.
Sigh…
Corey this phenonmonon does exists beyound Arkanasas. Birds, fish, predator species, are dying in numbers franging from hundred to millions. A distinct bell curve forms in terms of rising number since early dec when first reports begab to come in.
Also the USGC reports ( at less as you intepret it is not quite acurate). The ‘death by trauma by fireworks’ was put forward as possibility only not certain fact
Sunce then (as reported in BBC) autopsies conducted (after the facts) show internal organs of the birds were ruptured and disorientation – the theory being this coincided with fire works display happened at time.
However same symttons can replicate symptons of a virus, heavy metal dioxin poisoning, or presence of strong electrico magnetic fieled.
Further this is not just happening in Arkanksas but thru out USA. The largest cluster gulf Mexico startes and world wide in locations asociated with warms currents flowing out of gulf. Or in locations where military/civilian atteana farms also exist (as case in Norway,Brazil Northland).
Common denominator in all cases is that aluminum barium nano is used in both oil industry drilling clean up and in modern communication to assist secure or enhance signal transmissions.
Cluster