Treesearch

Over five billion birds move each year across the Americas, flying great distances over almost every location and habitat on the continents (Weidensaul 1999). Over 350 of the over 800 bird species in the United States migrate each year to Latin America and the Caribbean (Degraaf and Rappole 1995). Some fly each way over 4000 miles, chasing the seasons across oceans and continents (Weidensaul 1999). In addition, migratory birds are very important to Americans. Over 75 million Americans participate in bird watching, photography, hunting, nature study, and feeding. These Americans support...

Highways cause significant impacts to birds in four ways: direct mortality, indirect mortality, habitat fragmentation, and disturbance. In this paper I discuss highway-related impacts, and suggest solutions from a highway management perspective. Non-flying birds (either behaviorally or structurally) such as gallinaceous birds and ducklings; waterbirds such as terns; owls; ground-nesters; scavengers; Neotropical overwater migrants; frugivorous birds; and birds attracted to salt are often killed from highway-related causes. Suggested solutions include highway crossing structures, diversion...