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Bird Flock Killed By Hail On Antelope Island, Development Takes Some Of The Blame

stateparks.utah.gov
A flock of birds was killed in a recent hail storm because they were left without their normal homes.

Recently, growth and development near the Great Salt Lake has affected the habitats of birds. Reporter Aimee Cobabe spoke with, Richard Nowak, the director of the Avian Sanctuary and Protection which rehabilitates and re-homes birds throughout the Salt Lake area about a recent storm's effect on a flock of birds.  

COBABE: A flock of birds was killed in a recent hail storm because they were left without their natural home which would protect them. Mr. Nowak can you explain this a little bit more?"

NOWAK: Well these types of storms that come through Utah can be very devastating to populations of animals, including birds. The total reason why these birds were killed was basically the severity of the storm itself, but  loss of types of habitat that they can potentially take shelter from does increase the chance and the number of fatalities. 

COBABE: So I went recently to Antelope Island and, you know, there's homes all the way up to the lake pretty much now. Is that part of the development that is causing some problems? 

NOWAK: Yes. These types of developments and clearing grounds—there's also places to bring horses or park campers. And the roads that go through there also take out bushes and shrubs and grasses that are small things that some of these birds can take shelter under. 

COBABE: Is there a happy ground between development and preserving natural habitats? 

NOWAK: The Friends of the Great Salt Lake say it's up to %90 of the original wetlands are gone. Which means more of these types of migratory birds which means more of these migratory flocks and natural occurring species have a smaller area to live in. But when these large storms come by and these animals are in a more concentrated area, they're more likely that there will be more fatalities. We need to protect what wetlands are left or potentially reverse some of the loss of wetlands.

COBABE: Is there anything else you'd like to say? 

NOWAK: The population will rebound. It may take a little bit of time. Some of the birds that came through are only migrating through. But again, if they have better resources and a wider to feed then that will help reduce some of the fatalities in these types of conditions. 

COBABE: Richard Nowak is the director of the Avian Sanctuary and Protection in the Salt Lake area. Mr. Nowak, thank you. 

NOWAK: Thank you.