20 May 2014

Grasshopper Sparrow Dies at Gavilon Building

Another wildbird has died due the deadly glass at the Gavilon building in downtown Omaha. It was a Grasshopper Sparrow found on the morning of May 20th. The carcass was found on the west side of the building, about fifteen feet from the south corner.

View of the deadly scene and a closeup of the dead sparrow on the sidewalk. The sparrow struck the glass at the upper portion of the picture.

 

There were eight bird-window strikes noted during the early morning survey. They included:

  • unknown warbler on the west side of CenturyLink Center; a small colorful bird was seen being carried away by a Common Grackle; this is the first time this has ever been observed
  • Orange-crowned warbler on the west side of CenturyLink Center
  • female Common Yellowthroat on the west side of CenturyLink Center
  • Tennessee Warbler on the west side of CenturyLink Center
  • Dickcissel on the west side of CenturyLink Center
  • another Orange-crowned Warbler on the west side of CenturyLink Center
  • a male Indigo Bunting on the north side of the north tower at Central Park Plaza
  • the Grasshopper Sparrow on the west side of the Gavilon building

Three of the birds found dead in downtown Omaha on the morning of May 20th.

The death of the sparrow is the second bird-window strike at the Gavilon building, since the recent completion of its construction.

More Dead Birds on Wednesday

Four additional dead birds were located Wednesday morning, May 21st. They were found at:

  • a dead Ovenbird at the Gottschalk Freedom Center (an Omaha World-Herald building) on the west side, at the first section of glass from the north corner
  • a dead Catbird at the west entrance of the north atrium at the First National Tower
  • a dead female Common Yellowthroat on the north side of the Wentz Community Engagement Center at the University of Nebraska at Omaha, about 50 feet east of the doorway

A surprising find was a dead Red-bellied Woodpecker at the northwest corner of 37th and Leavenworth streets. The carcass was on the sidewalk beneath the industrial powerlines. It apparently hit one of the lines. This is not the first time that a wildbird was killed by this powerline. Based upon the location and condition, there were no indications it had been struck by a motor vehicle.

Dead birds found May 21, 2014 in eastern Omaha.

Overhead powerlines at 37th and Leavenworth Streets, at the site where a Red-bellied Woodpecker was killed.