Tweets,

I believe fireworks should be added as one more significant (though probably
not much recognized) cause of mortality to birds, at least in urban areas
where neighborhood fireworks are so common.

About 3 years ago, a Robin was on a clutch of 2 eggs on a support beam of my
deck. I checked the nest on July 4, before the onset of fireworks that
night, and all was well. Fireworks activity in my neighborhood is probably
like most - it basically sounds like an all out war is in progress. When I
checked the nest again the next morning, the parent had abandoned it, one egg
was broken on the ground and I never found the other. I figured the parent
must have left the nest in panic, and knocked the egg out in the process.

Much the same happened again this year. A Robin's nest I have been watching
for the past 3 weeks or so had one young bird (probably about 7 days old) in
it. Again, all was fine when I checked it 7/3. However, when I checked
again tonight, I found the nest on the ground with the young bird laying dead
nearby.

I feel certain that fireworks were responsible for both nest failures. What
a tragic and an absolutely senseless waste!

Mark Johnston
Kent, WA