Glass Bus Stop Blamed For Bird Deaths In Greenpoint, Brooklyn
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- Birds are dying at an alarming rate in Greenpoint, Brooklyn, and the cold-blooded killer is apparently a city bus stop.
As CBS2's Valerie Castro reported, the glass bus shelter near McCarren Park took the life of a large falcon back in April, and a robin just last week – and they weren't the only ones.
"It seems like it's a problem that's happening over and over again," said Sarah Duford.
Duford and other residents said birds in the park are the tiny bit of nature they can enjoy. She said she has reported the problem to 311.
"It's sad to see something like that happened, for a thing that seems pretty easy to fix," she said.
The problem reaches across all corners of the city, where art museums and other large glass buildings like the Javits Convention Center have claimed the lives of many.
"It used to be the number one bird killer in Manhattan," said Debra Kriensky of New York City Audubon.
Kriensky, a conservation biologist, said birds mistake the reflection in the glass for their habitat, or just don't see it at all.
"We estimate anywhere from 90,000 to 230,000 birds die every year from colliding with glass in New York City alone," Kriesky said.
In recent years, the Javits Center added small dots to the glass to break up the reflection. Greenpoint residents hope the city also takes action at the bus stop.
"It's pretty sad for this to continue happening," Duford said.
CBS2's Castro reached out to the Department of Transportation. A representative said the department has not received any complaints, but will be investigating.