[TowerTalk] birds and towers

[RICHARD BOYD]

When this subject has come up before I've commented that contrary to being hazards, towers are useful "structure" in the bird's world, just like old tires, ships, etc. intentionally dropped into fish habitat to create "artificial reefs" and "structure" that shelter the fish.  When you snorkel or scuba dive you notice the fish cluster around underwater objects.  It's the same with birds.  Predators favor high perches and our towers are often higher than the trees so that's where predator birds perch.  Other birds prefer perches of a particular height above ground or diameter that is comfortable for their claws to grasp.  Tower rungs and guy wires often offer something very attractive to them.  Especially slanting guy wires give the bird a choice of height above ground.  You will notice flycatchers, bluebirds, etc. will have a favorite height where you will usually find them, as they watch for insects.

This applies to other "structure" enhancements as well -- add a hedgerow through the middle of a bare field and you will increase the number and variety of birds using the habitat, though some species do prefer "wide open spaces" (e.g. geese).

Like K1TTT commented, the number of birds killed by running into glass windows must be many, many times that of "tower kills."  For one thing, there are many, many times more houses and buildings than there are antenna towers.  Second, the hazard of a glass window that the birds often fail to see until they slam into it is inherently greater than any hazard posed by antenna towers.

Taken to the extreme that some no doubt would take it, any object is a hazard, not only to birds but to people and other animals.  Any object can be run into by something.  Trees are hazards to birds too -- they can be slammed into by the out-of-control bird and they offer hiding places for bird predators (other birds as often as not), etc.  Singling antenna towers out as particular hazards is foolish.

73 - Rich, KE3Q