Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1894-05-05
WHOLE n UMBER, 1,17G.
The Mysterious Migration of Birds and
its Destructive Effects.

OrnitllologiSts for Il long time past
| hav" been trying to discover some way
| of protecting birds from destruction
/ by lighthouses. 1t is rcckoncd that
along the Atlantic coast hundreds of
thousands of feathercd creatures an
nually are killed by flying against the
structures which Uncle Sam has set
| up as Il warning to mariners.
| In general way it may be said
that tmid and feeble winged birds
| prefer the night for migration. while
| those which are strong winged am,
oold, seeking nu concralmrnt. migrate
| by day. Swallows and Snipc migrate
| ny day; thruSl"S, warblcrS and fly
ratrh"rS by night During storms.
| particularly III prOtract"d eastern
/ hloWS-Srcat numbers of birds fly
| against tn" maStS and SmokrStackS of
S'camrrS. Frequently from 200 To 800
are p1ckcd up in Il night on the deck
| oi these vessels. In one case the count
OF victims WIS over 100
| During storm Il lighthouse will
| oit"n u" surrounded by myriidS OF
| prdS OF many species Having been
:" unfortunate as To start off in their
| migration ON Il falling blrumrtrr thrr
nav" cot lost and iorkcd to the light.
! iult"rin% about the lantern, and dash
InG upon il or against the tower. one
IShtk"cpcr, describing such Il phrn.
pm"non. says that. as far as he could
Sc" by the beam of the light. the air
appeared to he Il solid "mnSS of birds
When one considers the railroad
| speed at which Il duck flies. ii is not
surprising that the impact Of lis
weight against the plate glass should
| break ii.
Telegraph wires across the line OF
migration on the pl:liricS kill great
numbers of birds. Woudcock, especial
| ly, brcAu>" they fly low. But all sorts
OF t"alhrrrl creatures, from SparroWS
I" swans. fail victims to this human
d"Ni'". Amongst them Snipc also are
conspicuous II has been noticed that
When Il telegraph line has been newly
| established Il great many birds are
siam III this way, whereas after two
"r three Seasons comparatively few
suffer. This indicates that birds
| learn by experience.
ON the Pacific Coast. not far from
San Francisco" is Il stretch of brari!
on which after IL orm great Numbers
OF ducks and divers. and even many
hlhatro>SrS. may he picked Up as wei!
| birds Slnr of Them aS the prIrrlS.
flying low. are struck by big waves.
ana thrown upon the shore Others.
| IKE The cormuraltS and Stlrf-lucllS.
are dashed upon the beach Will" swim
min" near shore. El>"whrrr along
| that part of the cnaS, there are only
rocks. and the waterfowl dashed upon
them are not stranded. but float off
again. To land eventually on the strip
| of beach above mrnliOnp,l
| Vessels coHSting off shore from ten to
| 100 miin> are nf,rn visited by birds
which hHv" been swept off the land by
winds. IL III IL great distance from
| III" land. they invariably die from
exhaustion after reaching the ships.
Sometimes hundreds are seen to fall
dying INTO The water within Il few
minutes. being unable to sustain tiigh
any longer. In fact. the ocean an
nlEllN proves Il burial place for vast
numbers of fcathrrrd creatures Like
wise. immense numbers are lost in the
great lakes. being blown off shore 10y
winds, or becoming exhausted in try
ing to cross thoS" sheets of water.
Thcr" is no truth in the pnpu ar no
| ion that birds are possessed of Il
faculty which enables them to forrtrll
weather and time their movements
accordingly.
| one of the fastest birds is the fal-
con. known rs the duck hawk the
flight Of which is 50 rapid that the
eye is sometimes unable to follow it,
| 1t is able easily To ovrrtakr any duck.
But it is thought that Swif1S and hum
ming birds ar" even quicker travellers.
The migration of birds have long
! been regarded as mysterious in many
ways Nevertheless. science has rIll-
ridatrl the problem to Il considerable
extent. The fact is. that these animals
have definite routes of travel They
ar" guided by such geographical fcd-
lures aS coast lines. rivers, valleys.
and mountain ranges. From the
height at which they fly the surface
"f the earth presents the appearance
of Il map. on which, at night. in the
light of moon and : arS the hills.
plains. lakes, etc. are more or less
distinctly outlined for 100 miles or
more in every direction. Any one
who has spent Il clear night on the
summit of IL mountain will not uurS-
tion this statement. The Older birds
which lead the flights have no diff
Guilty. guided by these landmarks. in
following paths which they have re-
praIrdly travrrScd before Points
along the route constitute stations. At
such aceS-orlinarily promonOtorirS
| extending into the sea. edges of forest
bordering extensive plains. or OK rcmi
ties of mountain rangrS-thc migratory
lid" hrSitatrS and haltS before Vrntur
ing on the dangerous stage head. This
pause allows the StragglrrS to como
lip Oceanic birds doubtless find Their
way to their breeding grounds over
lhr ia HESS seas by using coast lines
and SEA islands aS guides.