ALERT: Help Stop the Deaths of Millions of Migratory Birds at Communications Towers Every year, as many as 50 million birds die after colliding with tall towers that relay signals for our TVs, radios, and cell phone networks. These deaths, that include many species of declining songbirds such as the Black-throated Blue Warbler and Dickcissel, are needless and preventable. We now have our first opportunity to take action. <http://www.saveourbirds.org/nprm> Ask the FCC to change the lighting scheme on towers to reduce bird kills. There are more than 90,000 lighted communication towers across the country. Most of these use steady burning or slow pulsing lights to warn aircraft of their presence. These lights attract birds, particularly during bad weather during peak nighttime migration periods. The birds become disorientated by the lights and crash into the towers, their guy wires, and each other, or plummet to the ground in exhaustion. Strobe lights are just as visible to aircraft, and science has repeatedly shown they are far less attractive to birds. By mandating the use of these strobe lights instead of slow pulsing or steady-burning lights, we can prevent these deaths. Now the FCC, the agency that licenses towers, is considering a rule that will mandate strobes on all towers. They are seeking public comment on this proposal. This is your opportunity to let them know how important it is that they approve it. <http://www.saveourbirds.org/nprm> Click Here to send in your comment today. Deadline for comments is Monday, April 23! A copy of the Notice of Proposed Rulemaking is available from the FCC <http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/FCC-06-164A1.doc> here. ___________________________________________________________________ American Bird Conservancy ( <http://www.abcbirds.org> www.abcbirds.org) is a 501(c)3 not-for-profit organization, whose mission is to conserve native wild birds and their habitats throughout the Americas. For more information please call 540/253-5780. Subscribe to Bird Wire <http://www.abcbirds.org/membership/birdwiresignup.cfm> Click Here to Subscribe and receive regular email updates on this and other bird conservation issues. Cerulean Warbler Conservation Coffee Buy this great-tasting coffee and help protect Cerulean Warblers and our other declining neotropical songbirds. <http://store.thanksgivingcoffee.com/abc> Buy Today Join ABC Today and become a part of The Future of Bird Conservation All members receive three issues each of ABC's magazine and ABC's newsletter per year with the best of everything that is happening in the world of bird conservation. <https://www.abcbirds.org/membership/join.cfm> Join Now Steve Holmer Director of Public Relations American Bird Conservancy 202/234-7181 ext. 216 or 202/744-6459 (cell) [log in to unmask] www.abcbirds.org ______________________________________________________________________ Ohio-birds mailing list, a service of the Ohio Ornithological Society. Our thanks to Miami University for hosting this mailing list. Additional discussions can be found in our forums, at www.ohiobirds.org/forum/. You can join or leave the list, or change your options, at: http://listserv.muohio.edu/scripts/wa.exe?LIST=OHIO-BIRDS Send questions or comments about the list to: [log in to unmask]