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Item # 721532
THE DETROIT NEWS, Sept. 11, 1948
* Swarm of Birds - bizarre incident
* Empire State Building strike
* Mass nocturnal migration tragedy
The front page has a two column heading: "Bird Swarm Killed as Big Flight Rams Empire State Bldg." (see images)
Complete with 22 pages, rag edition in nice condition. Some small binding holes along the spine.
background: On September 11, 1948, New Yorkers witnessed a strange and tragic scene when a huge flock of migrating birds, flying south along the Atlantic Flyway, became disoriented by thick fog and the bright lights of the Empire State Building. In the pre-dawn darkness, hundreds of birds—mostly warblers, thrushes, and sparrows—smashed into the upper stories and observation decks of the 1,250-foot skyscraper, their bodies raining down onto Fifth Avenue and surrounding streets. Building staff and early pedestrians found the sidewalks littered with dead and stunned birds, while others circled in confusion before striking again. Ornithologists identified the event as one of the earliest major “bird strike” disasters caused by artificial illumination, marking a turning point in scientific understanding of how light pollution and urban architecture affect migratory species, a problem that continues to draw attention decades later.
September 11, 1948
THE DETROIT NEWS, Sept. 11, 1948
* Swarm of Birds - bizarre incident
* Empire State Building strike
* Mass nocturnal migration tragedy
The front page has a two column heading: "Bird Swarm Killed as Big Flight Rams Empire State Bldg." (see images)
Complete with 22 pages, rag edition in nice condition. Some small binding holes along the spine.
background: On September 11, 1948, New Yorkers witnessed a strange and tragic scene when a huge flock of migrating birds, flying south along the Atlantic Flyway, became disoriented by thick fog and the bright lights of the Empire State Building. In the pre-dawn darkness, hundreds of birds—mostly warblers, thrushes, and sparrows—smashed into the upper stories and observation decks of the 1,250-foot skyscraper, their bodies raining down onto Fifth Avenue and surrounding streets. Building staff and early pedestrians found the sidewalks littered with dead and stunned birds, while others circled in confusion before striking again. Ornithologists identified the event as one of the earliest major “bird strike” disasters caused by artificial illumination, marking a turning point in scientific understanding of how light pollution and urban architecture affect migratory species, a problem that continues to draw attention decades later.
Category: The 20th Century
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$48.00
