300 migrating songbirds crash into New York City skyscrapers and die in 24 hours

Around 300 migrating songbirds died after crashing into skyscarpers in New York City’s glass towers, a New York City Audubon volunteer documented the event. Read report here...

(Image courtesy: Twitter)

Around 300 migrating songbirds reportedly died after crashing into skyscrapers in New York City’s glass towers, a mass casualty which was brought into spotlight by a New York City Audubon volunteer who has been documenting the incidents. 

The avian death toll this week has been particularly high, but bird strikes on Manhattan skyscrapers are a persistent problem that NYC Audubon has documented for years, said Kaitlyn Parkins, the group’s . Due to the stormy weather on Monday night which contunued through Tuesday contributed to the deaths, Kaitlyn Parkins NYC Audubon's associate director told AP. 

Taking to Twitter, Melissa Breyer a volunteer with NYC Audubon put out a short video of bird carcasses littered all around World Trade Center. Breyer is seen picking up nearly 300 birds carcasses on sidewalks surrounding the new World Trade Center towers, calling the whole experience “overwhelming.”

WATCH VIDEO HERE:

When you have 226 dead window-struck migratory birds from one morning, it’s hard to get them all in one photo. @_WTCOfficial — lights can be turned off, windows can be treated. Please do something. @4WTC and @3wtcnewyork don’t let this be your legacy. @NYCAudubon @wildbirdfund pic.twitter.com/Qiu8Wqmilf — Melissa Breyer (@MelissaBreyer) September 14, 2021

Breyer counted 291 dead birds on Tuesday morning within 65 minutes of walking around WTC Three and Four. “As soon as I got to the buildings, the birds were everywhere on the sidewalk,” Breyer said. “Looking north, covered, south, covered, west, covered, the sidewalks were literally covered with birds.”

Similar issues have been reported from other skyscrapers in Manhattan during the annual migration season, and in other cities including Chicago which are famed for their high density of tall buildings.