Cold spring kills songbirds in Minnesota
(Published May 07, 2008)
MINNEAPOLIS ? The chilly, snowy spring has killed scores of songbirds in the northern two-thirds of Minnesota.
Officials of the state Department of Natural Resources have received many reports of dead swallows, bluebirds, kinglets, sparrows, robins and warblers since last week.
ADVERTISEMENTThe birds apparently starved to death because of a lack of insects caused by cold weather and late-April snow.
Such a large bird die-off is unusual, officials said.
"I don't remember anything quite as dramatic," Carroll Henderson, DNR nongame wildlife program leader, told the Star Tribune. Henderson said the area from the Twin Cities north was affected.
Mike North, of rural Brainerd, works for the DNR's division of ecological resources. North spotted a lethargic tree swallow sitting along a county road, then checked his nesting boxes on his property and found 19 dead tree swallows.
"One box had nine dead birds in it, huddled together, apparently trying to stay warm," he said.
At Crow Wing State Park, 27 swallows and two bluebirds were found dead in nest boxes.
Because of the cold spring, migrating songbirds found few insects when they arrived. Then a foot or more of snow hit northern Minnesota on April 25 and 26. Insect-eating birds couldn't find food, and starved.
Officials say there's no way to know how many birds died.
"It could easily be in the thousands, based on the reports we've received," Henderson said. He urged people with bird-nesting boxes to check them and remove any dead birds so later migrants can use the boxes, and also to report any banded birds they find.
Birds probably can find food now that recent warmer weather has melted snow and encouraged insect production, Henderson said. But he said there's nothing people can do to help hungry insect-eating birds.
"It may depress (songbird) numbers in Minnesota in the short term, but they should bounce back," Henderson said.
(Published May 07, 2008)
MINNEAPOLIS ? The chilly, snowy spring has killed scores of songbirds in the northern two-thirds of Minnesota.
Officials of the state Department of Natural Resources have received many reports of dead swallows, bluebirds, kinglets, sparrows, robins and warblers since last week.
ADVERTISEMENTThe birds apparently starved to death because of a lack of insects caused by cold weather and late-April snow.
Such a large bird die-off is unusual, officials said.
"I don't remember anything quite as dramatic," Carroll Henderson, DNR nongame wildlife program leader, told the Star Tribune. Henderson said the area from the Twin Cities north was affected.
Mike North, of rural Brainerd, works for the DNR's division of ecological resources. North spotted a lethargic tree swallow sitting along a county road, then checked his nesting boxes on his property and found 19 dead tree swallows.
"One box had nine dead birds in it, huddled together, apparently trying to stay warm," he said.
At Crow Wing State Park, 27 swallows and two bluebirds were found dead in nest boxes.
Because of the cold spring, migrating songbirds found few insects when they arrived. Then a foot or more of snow hit northern Minnesota on April 25 and 26. Insect-eating birds couldn't find food, and starved.
Officials say there's no way to know how many birds died.
"It could easily be in the thousands, based on the reports we've received," Henderson said. He urged people with bird-nesting boxes to check them and remove any dead birds so later migrants can use the boxes, and also to report any banded birds they find.
Birds probably can find food now that recent warmer weather has melted snow and encouraged insect production, Henderson said. But he said there's nothing people can do to help hungry insect-eating birds.
"It may depress (songbird) numbers in Minnesota in the short term, but they should bounce back," Henderson said.
