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This six-inch pipe contained seven-feet of
compacted bird carcasses Audubon Kern River Preserve &
Southern Sierra Research Station staff collected 231 skulls from
this pipe alone. |
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OPEN PIPE FENCE AND VENT POSTS
Millions of
birds and other wildlife are killed in innocent-looking death traps worldwide.
• Any open top vertical pipe can be a death trap.
• This problem has been highlighted recently by
discoveries of dead birds and other wildlife in PVC mining claim markers across
the western United States.
• At least 45 species of birds have been identified
along with several other vertebrate species.
• Not limited to nesting birds but birds in all seasons
investigating pipes for curiosity, food and/or nesting.
• This problem is nearly invisible – death pipes of all
kinds kill birds and leave no trace.
Although attention has been focused on
PVC mining claim markers the problem is much more widespread.
Death pipes can be
any size pipe or material: pipe fence posts,
irrigation vents, plumbing vents on buildings
and motor homes residential
included EVERY home and commercial building in the US may have
at least one death pipe! |
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Large bones (most
likely being eaten by a large bird of prey perching on the
pipe), unidentified species of bird bones, a dead fence lizard
and a dead Northern Flicker were found in this pipe. |
Close-up photo of the gross wildlife
cemetery that exists in these pipes. |
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Wildlife Affected
Examples:
Mortality study by Nevada Dept. of Wildlife 1986-2007 reported
by Lahontan Audubon Society, found 1500 dead birds in 8700
pipes.
Santa
Monica Bay Audubon member Keith Axelson 2007-2008 found 38
bird carcasses entombed in 18 pipes in Kern County, California.
Nevada
State Department of Wildlife biologist, Christy Klinger, removed
195 markers containing 740 dead birds, including 31 in one pipe.
Audubon
Kern River Preserve staff removed a single
agricultural vent pipe on neighboring
land containing 231 bird
skulls. |
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Cavity nesting
Ash-throated Flycatchers are frequent victims of open pipes.
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Mountain Bluebird
carcasses have been identified as frequent victims of death
pipes. |
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Simple solutions for the individual.
Look around your home for uncovered vent pipes, chain link fence
posts, or any other upright open pipe. The most simple and
permanent solution is to remove unnecessary posts and vent
pipes.
The next few solutions require action to cover the open top
pipe. With sign posts, fence posts, and mining claim markers
filling them with dry sand, dirt or gravel and if you are
concerned with the pipe rusting then put a metal or cement cap
on top. Why do both? Well, over the life of a pipe caps can
weather and fall off.
Vent and dryer pipes on buildings
and motor homes. Vent pipes are important to vent
noxious gases and to help liquid to flow. These cannot be
covered completely, but you can cover them
to prevent wildlife
from entering. Even pipes as little as 1 have trapped animals,
a solution is to use
specially designed vent pipe caps. This will allow unimpeded air flow and keep animals
out of harms way. The photo of the building
vent screened with hardware wire is a temporary solution until
our vent pipe caps are delivered. Raptors and other birds have died when they
caught their
talons in wire, so wire covers should not be considered anything
but temporary.
An added benefit in covering building vents
is preventing debris and wind from entering your home and keeps
heat from escaping
during cold winter months.
Spread the word to your friends and family and become a leader
in problem solvers!
Click here
to download a pdf flyer to handout to friends and neighbors. |
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RV's are also a
source of open pipes. The problem of dead wildlife is hidden in
the holding tanks. |
There are several
types of pipe covers available commercially. |
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temporary solution only - raptors can get
talons caught in wire |
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Well secured caps
solve the problem but must be inspected to make sure they have
not rotted or been knocked off. |
Creating a
chicken wire cap covered in cement is a pretty permanent
solution but care must be taken to inspect all pipes at least
annually to make sure these remain intact. |
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Covering vent
pipes is good for wildlife and saves homeowners from expensive
plumbing calls. No wildlife, rain, leaves or other debris enters
the system helping to keep pipes free of clogs. |
Pipes that are
covered help keep home heating bills down as well as they leak
less warm air. |
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Wildlife Documented from Skeletal Remains in dismantled
pipes/markers.
Birds
Reptiles
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Side-blotched Lizard
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Western Whiptail Lizard
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Western Fence Lizard
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Desert Spiny Lizard
Mammals
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Mice (Peromyscus)
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Desert Cottontail
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Chipmunk (Tamias)
Taken together with all other impacts to birds and wildlife,
death pipes are taking their toll. We can work
together to reduce cumulative impacts in very simple ways to make it so birds
remain a part of our lives and that our descendants hundreds of
years into the future get to enjoy an amazing diversity of life as
well.
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Audubon Kern River Preserve
works to protect and restore habitat in the Southern Sierra
Nevada especially in Kern County, California.
If you would like to volunteer on one of our many
projects, please contact:
Sean Rowe
Fax: (760) 378-2531
Email: srowe@audubon.org
Land Steward
Audubon Kern River Preserve |
