It is believed that forest fires in various parts of the United States, along with climate change, may be the main causes of these birds’ deaths. One ornithologist notes that “seeing so many birds die is a national tragedy.”
Thousands of migratory birds that travel south for the winter are dying in “unexplained” ways in various areas of the U.S.
This, which has been described as a “national tragedy” by experts, may be related to climate change.
The species that are “falling from the sky” are mostly warblers, swallows and flycatchers, which have been found dead in massive numbers in New Mexico, Colorado, Texas, Arizona and further north in Nebraska.
Martha Desmond, a professor in the biology department at New Mexico State University (NMSU), reported her concern to The Guardian website.
The expert points out that many of the bird carcasses had little muscle mass reserves, and some seem to have fallen from their beaks while flying.
“I picked up more than a dozen on a two-mile stretch in front of my house,” said Desmond.
“Seeing this and picking up these bodies and realizing how widespread it is, is personally devastating. To see so many birds of different species die is a national tragedy.”
Information provided suggests that many of these birds fly long distances annually to find suitable areas in the winter season.
Typically, they travel from the United States to certain parts of Central and South America.
And they need to land every few days to rest before continuing their journey.
Continued fires in cities such as California, Oregon and Washington combined with the climate crisis may have altered the migration patterns of these birds.
This could have caused them to divert their common route to one where food and water were scarce. So it is also believed that they died of hunger and thirst.
This video made me cry and then gave me chills. #SWAvianMortalityProject #Avian #Conservation #Migration https://t.co/aGldammpf0
— Allison Salas (@salasphorus) September 15, 2020