Death by collisions with vehicles and windows, diseases caused by pathogenic bacterium, cats, other predators, winter starvation, habitat loss, bullet and lead shot, pesticides and other chemicals, electrocutions from transmission lines, nets of commercial fishing boats, wind turbines … the life of a bird usually ends in a hard death.
And no matter the method, almost all of the birds that we see in Western Washington have short lives. How long depends partly on size, and the reports of ages depend on the protocols of research projects, and how they are presented.
Few die of old age. Post-fledgling birds experience the highest mortality and most don’t survive the first year, according to some research.
Given that there are billions of birds that either reside in or fly through North America, it’s amazing that we see so few dead birds. If you find one, consider taking it to the Burke Museum in Seattle.
Dead birds have value, said Eugene Makela, preparator for the ornithology department of the Burke Museum in Seattle, which receives birds and mammals on a daily basis.
Tissue samples are taken for possible DNA studies. Often birds become part of a series of a particular species.
“You can take a bunch and line them up to see that there are distinct individual color differences,” Makela said.
“We have a generic idea of what a robin looks like, but lined up together, you can see that not all have exactly the same dark red breast. There are a lot of subtle variations,” he said. “Birds often become part of different research projects. Artists who draw birds can get nice details.”
Here are some tips for saving a dead bird:
- Carefully pick up the dead bird with gloves or place an inverted plastic freezer bag over your hand and then pull the bird into the bag as you turn the right side out. Press out as much air as possible without damaging the bird. Wrapping the bird in newspaper before putting it into the bag helps protect it. “There is little danger in handling the bird in this way. The only concern would be the West Nile virus in crows, but that is not common,” he said.
- Write down the date, location (as close as you can get to a street address or crossroads), your name and contact number or email, and any other pertinent information, such as cause of death if you know it.
- Place the bird in the freezer if you can’t get the bird to the Burke Museum right away, and bring it in when you can, keeping it as cold as possible. “I’ve worked with birds that have been in the freezer for 10 years or more. As long as they are packaged well, it should be fine.”
- Take the bird to the back loading dock during weekdays. There will be someone at the deck. On weekends, go to person at the front desk, who will help get the bird to the proper place.
On the bookshelf: Tessa Wardley’s “The Woodland Book: 101 Ways to Play, Investigate, Watch Wildlife and Have Adventures in the Woods” ($26) is a fun book, set in the U.K.
Wardley’s guidance down the activity paths of relaxing, playing, being creative, being curious, and being adventurous will keep your attention and lead you into the woods.
Hammocks, tree rings and folklore, insect races, bird talk, woodland art and nests, fungi, navigation, bark, night walking … this is a well put-together guide that will help connect your children with the woods.
Columnist Sharon Wootton can be reached at 360-468-3964 or www.songandword.com.
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