Did cedar waxwings fly into library glass?

Hi Mark,

Read the article about the Cedar Waxwings……so sad. [May 9 Chronicle, “20-30 cedar waxwings found dead in GF” outside Crandall Library.]
I haven’t been to the library in 35 plus years, and it has changed. By any chance were all these birds found at the base of a glass window? If so, then more than likely, they all flew into the glass seeing a reflection.

Spring and fall are migrating seasons, and yes, birds do migrate at night. Even during daylight, depending on the location of the sun, they can see a reflection on just a house window and kill themselves. It happened to me two years in a row — I lost my male Veery that way. And of course the female left to find another mate. Same window.

So last year, I put up the small, yellow post-it notes on the insides of the windows, and not only were my pair ok, but they even brought their chicks to eat mealworms once they fledged.

I would think that the city workers could install small aviary netting over the windows if this indeed is the issue, but it’s a huge problem that many people don’t realize. And, if lights inside are left on at night, that just increases the probability of bird “suicides” during migratory periods.

Someone needs to follow up on the DEC findings. If the birds suffered broken necks or head trauma, there’s your answer.

My post-it notes are tacky, but they work! I have to put them up on the south windows come August, as the sun shifts and then the reflection is there — last year a male Cardinal chased a Northern Waterthrush into the window — the Cardinal didn’t survive — I was able to save the Waterthrush.

Hope this helps,

— Karen Copeland, West Fort Ann

Editor’s note: NYS DEC suspects blunt trauma, windows in bird deaths

The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation told The Chronicle Tuesday, “a total of 19” cedar waxwings were found deceased in front of Crandall Library in Glens Falls.

The lab tested four of the birds, as a sampling, said a DEC spokesperson.

“Based on the initial results, it appears that there was a blunt impact trauma. They are doing some testing just for confirmation, to test any avian influenza, which is standard practice.”

She said, “These birds in particular” — cedar waxwings — “are known for striking windows in groups…so sometimes they would all incur the same injury at the same time.

“That is what is suspected here, but we don’t have the test results yet.”

The DEC spokesperson said, “This is a time of year that we put out the advisory on the Lights Out initiative for windows. The reflection of the windows and the the light sometimes can cause the birds to directly impact against windows, at this time of year.”

— C.DeDe

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