[TowerTalk] Re:Tower Bird Strikes "Proven"

[Tom Rauch]

Hi Tim,

> I really would like detailed information on any "substantial" bird kills
> due to the birds running into towers and then dropping dead at the bottom
> of the tower.

So would I. 

> I have worked in broadcast and wireless for over 24 years, my current
> company has antennas on over 1000 towers in 18 states. I have yet to hear
> about or see 1 dead bird.

I've worked with tall towers for about 30 years, and I've seen at 
least 5 dead birds near towers. 

As recently as the last year, below my 300 foot tower (with dozens 
of #12 and smaller copperweld wires, strings, and ropes stretched 
out for hundreds and hundreds of feet and of course many guy 
lines) I've seen one dead bird. It was a wild turkey chick.

Being in rural Georgia, there are Redtail Hawks, Turkey Buzzards, 
Geese (they fly by twice a day, on their way to and from a pond out 
back) and hundreds of other birds who frequent the area on a daily 
basis. 

I've rarely seen dead birds under or around tall towers, although I've 
seen a few birdbrains lying near towers.

> Whenever the the tower bird kill issue comes up at a tower zoning hearing
> I ask what effect tall office buildings with windows have (lots of lights
> on these structures) on birds. Most people can deduce that the buildings
> would have a much greater threat to the birds than a tower...

But sooner or later someone somewhere will be the only person 
who has a study showing how bad the problem is. Like cellular 
damage caused by non-ionizing radiation, or UFO abductions.


73, Tom W8JI
w8ji@contesting.com

--
FAQ on WWW:               http://www.contesting.com/FAQ/towertalk
Submissions:              towertalk@contesting.com
Administrative requests:  towertalk-REQUEST@contesting.com
Problems:                 owner-towertalk@contesting.com