Conviction under Wild Bird Conservation Act of 1992

http://www.ca2.uscourts.gov:8080/isysnative/RDpcT3BpbnNcT1BOXDA2LTA2MDctY3Jfb3BuLnBkZg==/06-0607-cr_opn.pdf#xml=http://10.213.23.111:8080/isysquery/irla60/34/hilite


This does not have anything to do particularly with glass. However, the US 2d Circuit Court of Appeals upheld the conviction of an internationally known falconer for importation of a black sparrowhawk (accipter melanoleucas) from South Africa. http://www.americanfalconry.com/blackspar.html

The falconer, Thomas Cullen, has or had a large collection of birds of prey, according to the decision. He sought to import three black sparrowhawks, with a commercial value of about $800 apiece in England, even though importation of the birds is illegal, because they are on the endangered species list. He tried to fit them in under an exemption for personal pets, but the lower court jury found that the filing with the government was false in this regard.

This may have been the first prosecution under this statute, which is codified at 16 U.S.C. 4901 et seq.

http://www.palemale.com/instwhmayops.html

Decisions of interest - August 29, 2007 - http://www.bloglines.com/blog/PLL?id=6114

Netting works

• Here's what New York City Audubon said: Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge Visitor Center was experiencing bird collisions at some of its large, reflective windows. In response, a swift retrofitting solution in the form of netting was implemented in order to avoid unnecessary bird kills. This solution represents a good example of how collision prevention measures can be implemented at a site with reflective windows. NYC Audubon is now also able to highlight this case with other buildings that encounter similar bird collision problems. Photos taken by Ron Bourque.

Little birds collide with windows

• Here is the collision tally by species for the spring 2007 as reported by Project Safe Flight

  The overall number of species collected by Project Safe Flight Volunteers reached 30 and the top five species found this spring 2007 are:

  Ovenbird 13 Collisions

• http://sdakotabirds.com/species_photos/ovenbird_1.htm
  

  Black-and-White Warbler 9 Collisions

• http://www.mbr-pwrc.usgs.gov/id/framlst/i6360id.html
  

  White-throated Sparrow 8 Collisions

• http://www.birds.cornell.edu/AllAboutBirds/BirdGuide/White-throated_Sparrow.html
  

  American Woodcock 5 Collisions

• http://www.mbr-pwrc.usgs.gov/id/framlst/i2280id.html
  

  The three following species are tied for the fifth position with three collisions each:
  

  Blue Jay -
  http://www.birds.cornell.edu/AllAboutBirds/BirdGuide/Blue_Jay.html
  

• Common Yellowthroat -
  http://www.mbr-pwrc.usgs.gov/id/framlst/i6810id.html
  

• Northern Waterthrush - http://www.mbr-pwrc.usgs.gov/id/framlst/i6750id.html

Below is a juvenile belted kingfisher that was found. It was injured rather than killed. Photo Doug Backlund. http://www.birds.cornell.edu/AllAboutBirds/BirdGuide/Belted_Kingfisher.html

• 

Robin lured by deceptive glass

• This dead robin was photographed at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. This photo suggests that birds see reflections and don't understand that what they see is a reflection on a hard surface. Photo by Rebekah Creshkoff on March 31, 2007.
• 

Places where birds strike buildings

• This table comes from New York City Audubon Society, from an e-mail by Nicole Delacrataz circulated in May 2007, after spring migration. The sites are those monitored by Project Safe Flight, sponsored by New York City Audubon. Thanks, Nicole. About 50 birds, mostly early migrants, were found.

• Below are the initial results for spring 2007's Project Safe Flight study:

  Collision tally at the major bird kill zones

  While the number of collisions are lower for each site, they are still ranked in the same order as seen in previous years:

  Morgan Mail 32 Collisions

  Jacob Javits Center 18 Collisions

  Met Museum 14 Collisions

  WFC Area 4 Collisions

  

New York City Audubon Project Safe Flight

http://www.nycaudubon.org/aboutus/volunteers/psfV.shtml

New York City Audubon has been operating Project Safe Flight to tally the numbers of dead birds found by various buildings in New York City. This URL describes the project.

2005 Conference

Birds & Buildings: Creating a Safer Environment was a conference in 2005 in Chicago. Chicago has shown leadership in coping with the problems of birds dying from collisions with buildings.

http://www.birdsandbuildings.org/design/design.html

Humane Society

http://www.projectwildlife.org/facts-windows-safe-for-birds.htm

The Humane Society has taken an interest in the problem of birds flying into buildings.

The Foundation

The Bird-Safe Glass Foundation, Inc., is a New Jersey non-profit corporation founded in 2006 to find ways to protect birds. The Foundation's organizers hope to accomplish this by developing windows that birds can see and that humans won't see. Architectural glass plays a big role in modern buildings. It is believed that birds have trouble seeing both glass that reflects sky and trees and glass that they see right through. The Foundation's organizers hope to follow two paths. First, they want to fund experiments with glass. Second, the organizers want to learn more about how and what birds see. The purpose of this blog is to publicize the work of The Bird-Safe Glass Foundation.