Bohemian waxwings killed after striking city hall walkway, says group

Similar incident happened in 2013

CBC News Posted: Apr 03, 2016 11:08 AM ET Last Updated: Apr 03, 2016 3:55 PM ET

More than 30 bohemian waxwings were killed after colliding with a glass walkway at Ottawa City Hall, according to a local group devoted to reducing bird deaths.

Safe Wings Ottawa began tweeting photographic evidence Saturday of the discovery of dead and injured bohemian waxwings beneath the walkway, which connects the main city hall building with the nearby heritage wing.

Anouk Hoedeman, the program's coordinator, told CBC News that the waxwings — small, stocky, starling-sized birds — are drawn to the area because it's a plentiful food source.

"They're flying back and forth between the fruit trees and the other trees and they crash into the walkway because they don't see the glass. It's clear glass," said Hoedeman.

As of Sunday afternoon, there were 34 dead birds, said Hoedeman, while another five injured birds had been transported to the Wild Bird Care Centre.

There were also likely about "half a dozen to a dozen" injured birds that rescuers couldn't reach because they had escaped to nearby trees, she said.

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