BIRD FLAP OVER WTC

Scripps Howard ^ | December 29, 2004

[ConservativeStatement]

December 29, 2004 -- Animal lovers are worried that the Freedom Tower will turn out to be a giant death trap for birds. At 1,776 feet, the Freedom Tower is expected to be the world's tallest building when it opens at the World Trade Center site in 2009. But scientists and bird enthusiasts say more than a billion birds are killed every year in the United States after slamming into windows or circling lights atop skyscrapers until they are so dazed and confused that they crash.

[Conspiracy Guy]

Stupid birds.

[BenLurkin]

The eco-extremists really should stop taking positions which mark them as part of the enemy within.

[ScottFromSpokane]

A billion? Somehow I doubt that.

[Redcloak]

A simple problem. Put giant nets around the building to catch the birds as they fall. You then feed the birds to the homeless; killing two birds with one... um... building.

[mtbopfuyn]

circling lights atop skyscrapers until they are so dazed and confused that they crash.

Sorry, but that's hilarious! How about designing a multi-million dollar garden atop the tower just to make the bird lovers happy?

[Forrestfire]

I remember the bird carcasses two feet deep that was around the old towers.

[Anitius Severinus Boethius]

Why are environmentalists so die hard Darwinists until it get to the rule that says "If a species can't adapt, then Nature decrees that it die."

This is actually strengthing the species of these birds by getting rid of ones that are confused by tall buildings.

[cripplecreek]

I live in a single story ranch style house and have dozens of birds crash into my picture window every year. I guess I'm going to have to tear my house down and return the land to it's natural state.

I suppose I could build an underground bunker but that might interfere with the mating habits of earthworms or disturb grubs or other burrowing critters.

[Drango]

I'm so gonna hurl.

[rellimpank]

---I heard the "billion" figure as total bird deaths in North America per year --quoted at a discussion by an environmental expert employed by a mining company.

[inkling]

Perhaps the 19 terrorists were just overly enthusiastic birdwatchers and environmentalists?

[Slicksadick]

Perhaps those are a bit inflated but here are some sourced numbers.
AWEA 2000,-- 267,000 birds killed per day in the US striking plate glass. In Britain 150,000 per day killed by cats. According to the Mammal society, 1,000,000 birds killed per year in Denmark by traffic alone.

[ConservativeStatement]

The sad twist might be that some of these "loons" are as concerned about the birds as they are about the murdered victims from 9-11.

[AVNevis]

Let's make it safe from metal birds first, then worry about the rest.

[Next_Time_NJ]

1 Billion Birds? Hmmm.. no wonder my fried chicken has been tasteing different lately.

[ClintonBeGone]

A billion? Somehow I doubt that.

Sounds like the homeless math.

[Viking2002]

Are pigeons good eatin'? :-)

[reagan_fanatic]

Cripes - let's just build the damn things underground and get it over with. Oh, wait - that would endanger earthworms, gophers and wayward moles. Stupid me.

/s

[ScottFromSpokane]

I was just going to post that it reminds me of the homeless advocates who claim that there were 3.5 million homeless in the US, then say that 3000 homeless people died last year.

James Taranto points out that this would mean that the death rate among the homeless is about one-tenth the death rate of the general population.