Claim markers are taking a gruesome toll on wild birds in Western US, says the American Bird Conservancy.
There are about 3.4 mining claims in the region that are mostly marked using PVC tubing, which the birds mistakenly believe are habitat.
“Small birds apparently see the opening of PVC pipes used to mark mining claims as a hollow suitable for roosting or nesting or possibly gathering to pool body heat during migration,” writes the American Bird Conservancy in a news release.
“The birds may enter the holes, only to become trapped because the walls are too smooth to allow them to grapple their way up the sides and the pipes are too narrow for the birds to extend their wings and fly out. Death from dehydration or starvation follows.”
An estimated one million birds are killed each year from the pipes. While a pipe pulling effort was underway in the Nevada Desert, ABC found an average of one bird death per pipe. The group found a single pipe with 32 bird deaths.
Most of the birds recovered at the bottom of PVC pipes are cavity nesters, like the ash-throated flycatcher and the mountain bluebird. Other victims include woodpeckers, sparrows, shrikes, kestrels and owls.
The American Bird Conservancy recommends PVC markers be capped or replaced with another material. The problem is difficult to control, since the impact is largely invisible and PVC tube is a low cost and convenient solution for marking claims.
The Bureau of Land Management is drafting policy to address the issue, although the department is looking for ways to coax miners into making changes rather than through mandates.
Image from Arizona Geology
9 Comments
Fvpalex
I would not call myself a bird lover unless it is served on a plate, but I do understand the balance they bring in defeating pesty bugs. A cap, though an unexpected expense is not an outlandish request.
plumbing
Flexible copper is used for short runs. You have probably seen it leading up to your water heater, or for cold water supply in tight spots. Flexible copper tubes can be cut with ease with a hacksaw, and bent to fit around corners.
Fjkasper
fjk
Is there a way of scaring the birds away before marking out the territory? Surely you people should be thinking about the future environmental conditions. .
Rmgis
PVC claim posts have been outlawed for new staking in Nevada since the mid ’90’s. Active claim holders had a few years to replace PVC with wood and most have. I admit there are plenty of PVC posts around from abandonded claims, the vast majority of them all flat on the ground and providing nesting habitat for birds, rodents, and the odd reptile. Most operators stopped using PVC outside of Nevada when NV outlawed them. This is largely a non-issue at this point except to an unknown environmental group seeking publicity.
Hentwo89028
instead of putting a cap on the pipe you turn this into a confrontataional event. how cooperative
Rockpicker1
I’m a prospector here in Nevada and I see very few PVC post and when I do see them I remove them as they are outlawed and have been for years. Now is we can only get the nature lovers to stop useing our wooden post for fire wood.
Axiom71
before you rush to dismiss this as much ado about nothing…it looks like the problem is current and not isolated.
couldn’t a pvc stake be made that would be same price but not hollow? seems remarkably sad that the fact these things are hollow and deep make them deadly. how about escape holes, or a cross-drilled pvc pin that “caps” pipe without requiring an extra cap piece…
how very odd.
http://www.abcbirds.org/newsandreports/releases/120425.html
This threat has been documented from Oregon to New Mexico. In November of 2011, the same month ABC learned of the bird deaths in Nevada, BLM specialists in Oregon also documented alarming rates of bird mortality at claims in the Burns area. BLM offices in California and Nevada have elevated the assessment and treatment activities in a three-way internal partnership between the minerals, wildlife, and abandoned mine land programs.
Tenpan
No one uses pvc for staking claims any more. A 1.5 inch X 1.5 inch wood post is a legal post in all western states and it makes no sense to pack PVC anymore. PVC posts were used in lieu of the previously required 4’x4′ wood post, which were very heavy.. In Nevada pvc for new claims is against the law. Previously staked and still active claims require a cap to keep it legal.
The issue, and it is a real issue, is the hundreds of thousands of pvc posts left standing on abandoned claims. I always pack a few out when ever I am in the woods. If they are uncapped in nevada I knock them over when I pass them. Birds can escape from a horizontal post open at both ends.
I have found many dead birds, mostly western or mountain blue birds, at the bottom of posts I remove or knock over. This, however, has only been in forested areas. In wide open areas such as in the picture, I have very rarely if ever found a bird in the posts.
M1k3mk3
http://www.siouxchief.com/Testing/Plugs-And-Caps/Grip-Tip.JA3Z8
These are probably the best, even hand tight they will hold a pound or 2 they also come in high visibilty.