Gas Flares and Birds
Gas Flares and Birds
On May 13, 1939, a badly singed and “baked” specimen of the Magnolia Warbler (Dendroica magnolia) was sent to me by Mr. Henry Gremmel of Bloomington, Texas, for identification. He informed me that hundreds of these birds fluttered like huge moths around the gas flares in that oil field on the night of May 12. None was observed the following night, but a few were noticed the third night, after which they were not seen again. Mr. Gremmel is of the opinion that not more than ten of the birds were killed by the flares at his station on those two nights. Evidently these birds were migrating, because they did not appear at the blares until after 9 p. m.; none was observed there during the day.
There are hundreds of these open gas flames in the oil fields of Texas, consequently the toll to birdhfe resulting from contact with the flames must be tremendous in periods of migration.
William B. Davis
Department of Fish and Game, College Station, Texas, November 6, 1939
