OkcPets Magazine September 2023

32 OKC Pets • September / October 2023 Oklahoma has historically been outside the range of black-bellied whistling ducks, but some have been seen in the state in recent years. The southern United States is the extreme northern edge of this duck’s extensive range, which includes Mexico, Central America, and South America. WildCare re- ceived its first orphaned baby black-bellied whistling ducks in summer 2023. Photo courtesy of Jesse Pline, WildCare Oklahoma animal-care staff. fusion and crying out to their mates, off- spring, and other members of their flocks. This excess, unnecessary calorie use can leave birds in a weakened state, making them more vulnerable to all the hazards in human environments. By turning off lights in parking lots, on front porches, inside buildings (partic- ularly upper floors in all buildings), and in sport venues — baseball, soccer, and football fields and stadiums — we could help birds make safe passage through the state to their winter homes. For situations when lighting is needed, there are solutions. For example, when people work in buildings at night, pull down shades inside to keep the light from escaping through the windows and confus- ing birds. For nighttime sporting events, turn off the lights when the game is over and the fans have left the field or stadium. When outdoor lighting is used for safety and security reasons, there are two options. (1) Motion-activated lights come on only when prompted by motion and then auto- matically shut off after a set period of time. (2) Shielded light fixtures direct light down or to the target area and prevent light from trespassing up or out, depending on the shield. Many light fixtures can be purchased with built-in shielding. The shielding is correct if you cannot see the lightbulb when you look at the light. For existing light fix- tures that have already been installed, you can buy light shields. Finally, there is evidence that leaving lights on at night does not make people saf- er. Most home break-ins occur between 10 a.m. and 3 p.m., when people are common- ly not at home. In addition, lights left on at night create shadows to hide in and provide light for potential perpetrators to see by. You will also save money, lessen your envi- ronmental impact, save a lot of birds, and see more stars at night by turning off excess lights. Prevent Window Strikes According to the American Bird Conser- vancy, 300 million to 1 billion birds die each year from collisions with glass on skyscrapers, building atria, and homes. Reflective glass, clear glass, and clear glass with a lot of plants behind it, such as in the lobbies of many buildings, disorient birds and cause window strikes. Many people, hearing a bird strike a window, will assume it has been stunned and will feel reassured if the bird eventually flies away. However, many if not most of those birds fly off only to die slowly outside of view because of injuries sustained from the collisions. In addition to turning off lights — in- side and outside of buildings — you can add decals or bird tape to your windows. Bird tape, dots, and decals break up the reflectivity of the glass, allowing birds to see and avoid windows. The key to effec- tiveness is following the rule of two inches by four inches. The visual barrier should be spaced every two inches horizontally and every four inches vertically for best results. Keep Cats Inside Cats kill 1.3 to 4 billion birds each year in the United States alone, according to the Cornell Laboratory of Ornithology’s All About Birds website, with 69 percent of those kills attributable to feral or unowned cats. Cats are an invasive species in the landscape that cause damage not only to birds but also to reptiles, amphibians, and other small mammals. For cats that are lucky enough to have homes, an owner can still allow a cat to enjoy the outside by allowing it to go out only when super- vised, keeping the cat on a lead, building a “catio” that provides outside time in an Eastern kingbirds are long-distance migrants that travel in flocks of 10 to 60 birds, joining up with other flocks of birds when flying over water. They journey to western Amazonia in South America to overwinter. Photo courtesy of Jesse Pline, WildCare Oklahoma animal-care staff.