Sadbhine

Brain Junk
2002-08-20 17:29:10 (UTC)

What is Happening to the Birds?

Not the kind that you would flip to another motorist - but
the ones that fly.
I live in Illinois. I usually work out of my home, but
every now and again I have to drive downtown in order to
drop off "we'll be killed if we don't get it NOW"
paperwork. I noted the first time I was on my way into the
office that there is a huge group of pigeons that lives
under one of the viaducts on the Kennedy expressway. To
rephrase that last sentence: A huge group of feathered
terrorists that randomly bombed your car as you sailed
past. I also note right now that whenever I stepped out the
back door of the office (which is nicely situated on the
East bank of the Chicago river - well, nice when the river
doesn't stink to high heaven) that there is/was a plethora
of wild life that managed to make their homes on the bank
of, and in this very smelly river. Geese, Swans, Ducks,
Rabbits, Cardinals, gray herons and a huge flock of
seagulls - at least fifty of them.
Now, in the news over the past few balmy months of summer
that we have had I have heard about the West Nile Virus and
how there are at least two confirmed deaths from it in
Illinois alone.
I'm not the most observant person, but on my last few trips
into the city, I have noted the following:
1. There are at least 16 dead pigeons on the side of the
Kennedy every time I drive downtown now...Exactly where the
windshield hating group used to roost.
2. These pigeons have not been run over nor hit in any
visible way. I find it difficult to believe that they have
converted to the "kamakazi" school of training and are now
hitting windshields with their bodies. Especially when they
are not damaged in any way that I can see....And I have had
ample opportunity to examine them as I usually end up stuck
in traffic under that viaduct lately.
3. The birds are missing from the river. Granted, these are
migratory birds, so no doubt that has some weight to it.
But seagulls are not migratory - are they? And if they are,
then they have left behind one lone gull that perched on a
dead log in the river today, looking thoroughly confused.
4. The gulls that usually accost people in fast food
parking lots has dwindled if not completely disappeared as
well.
Which leaves me to wonder if there is any connection ot the
missing birds and the West Nile Virus. I had heard that the
virus only attacks crows - or at least they are the only
ones who die of it...
I can't help but wonder if other birds are effected as well
and they are just not telling us because then someone would
notice the same thing I have....That the birds are missing.
It makes me sad.




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