Nashville and Blackburnian warblers among birds of more than 20 species that hit American National Building, possibly after mistaking lights for moon or sun

This article is more than 3 years old

This article is more than 3 years old

Nearly 400 migratory birds of brilliant plumage were killed when they smashed into an office tower in Texas while flying in a storm, officials said on Friday.



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Workers arrived at the American National Building, the tallest skyscraper in downtown Galveston, on Thursday morning. They found the birds with feathers of blue, green, yellow and other hues dead on the ground, said Josh Henderson, animal services supervisor for Galveston police.

More than 20 species were among the 395 birds that died, Henderson said. The biggest group was Nashville warblers, followed by Blackburnian Warblers.

Three surviving birds were taken to a wildlife center.

Facebook Twitter Pinterest Some of the nearly 400 dead birds. Photograph: Handout/Reuters

The birds were coming from Central and South America and arrived in the coastal city of Galveston, probably fatigued from their flight over the Gulf of Mexico. The birds migrate to several areas across North America during the warmer months of the year.

“These are showy, beautiful birds that bird watchers really get excited to see,” said Richard Gibbons, conservation director at the Houston Audubon, who added that he did not know if all the birds had been flying together or if they struck the office tower at different times.

A storm was battering the city, which probably forced the birds to fly low, Gibbons said. In the dark, they may have mistaken the skyscraper’s lights for the sun or moon.

“It was really a freak accident,” said Gibbons, whose organization has called for tall buildings to limit lighting at night to avoid such mishaps.