Four million birds are killed in collisions with communication towers, particularly those higher than 200 feet, in eastern North America alone each year. The problem is caused by the aviation warning lights on the towers. On nights with a low ceiling, migrating birds lose their cues for stellar and geomagnetic navigation. Tower lights reflect off water molecules in the air, creating an illuminated area that draws a whirlpool of birds circling and striking the tower and guy wires in the lighted space. Over 70 species of songbirds that fly from Central and South America to breed and nest in eastern North America use the forested ridges of the Highlands as migration corridors.
Neotropical songbirds are already in serious decline.
Many bird kill cases show a very high percent of forest neotropical long-distance migrants, especially thrushes, ovenbirds, vireos, and numerous species of warblers. In fact, current Federal Communications Commission policy states that broadcast towers should be as far as possible away from migratory bird corridors. The legality of this contract needs to be reviewed . MBC would also build a 30-car parking lot on the site for public use. However, inferences that this would provide the only public access to the site appear unfounded.