2 TH EB  AsUD UB OcN BiUeisi eee 
The temperature had ranged from the high fifties to the mid-sixties dur- 
ing the three days following the tragedy and many of the birds had begun 
to decompose. However, except for a few badly decomposed specimens and 
those (primarily thrushes) crushed on the gravel road leading to the tower, 
all of the specimens located were brought to the Illinois State Museum for 
examination and identification. The open fields surrounding the tower sup- 
ported a heavy stand of clover and no doubt some specimens escaped 
detection. 
Taking into account the crippled birds (reported as numerous the morn- 
ing of September 17 by the workmen) which escaped into the surrounding 
fields and hedge rows, specimens too badly decomposed or crushed to identi- 
fy, and those removed from the tower area by workmen and other curious 
persons, the authors estimate that between 1,000 and 1,500 birds struck the 
tower and guy cables the night of September 16. A total of 827 specimens, 
representing 40 species, were recovered by the authors; the species identi- 
fied and the number of each is listed in Table I. 
TABLE I. — THE SPECIES OF BIRDS KILLED AT THE WICS TV 
TOWER ON THE NIGHT OF SEPTEMBER 16-17, 1958. 
Pied-billed Grebe, Podilymbus podiceps._ 1 Magnolia Warbler, Dendroica magnolia__ 16 
Sora, Porzana- carolina____-_ 2 Black-throated Green Warbler, 
Nighthawk, Chordeiles minor____-______-_ 2 Dendroica ‘virens =. 2 
Eastern Kingbird, Tyrannus tyrannus_____ 1 Blackburnian Warbler, Dendroica fusca. 6 
Great Crested Flycatcher, Chestnut-sided Warbler, 
Myarchuscrinitus — eee 1 Dendroica péensylvanica —~-~-------~ 67 
Yellow-bellied Flycatcher, Bay-breasted Warbler, 
Empidonax flaviventris _______---_-- 2D, Dendroica castanea ~-_-------_---___ 24 
Acadian Flycatcher, Empidonax virescens Pine Warbler, Dendroica pinus—__------- 2 
and/or Traill’s Flycatcher, EF. traillii. 6 Ovenbird, Seiurus aurocapillus-_________ 89 
Least Flycatcher, Empidonax minimus. 1 Northern Waterthrush, 
House Wren, Troglodytes aedon--—--___~ 1 Seiurus noveboracensis _-----------~ 30 
Catbird, Dumetella carolinensis__________ 11 Connecticut Warbler, Oporornis agilis-___ 1 
Wood Thrush, Hyloecichla mustelina______ it Mourning Warbler, 
Olive-backed Thrush, Hylocichla ustulata_107 Oporornis philadelphia —~------------ ii 
Gray-cheeked Thrush, Hylocichla minima_145 Yellowthroat, Geothlypis trichas-_------~ 16 
Veery, Hylocichla fuscescens________-___ 28 Canada Warbler, Wilsonia canadensis____ 2 
Red-eyed Vireo, Vireo olivaceus-________ 79 American Redstart, Setophaga ruticilla__ 21 
Philadelphia Vireo, Vireo philadelphicus_ 3 Bobolink, Dolichonyx oryzivorus——_—----~ 15 
Black-and-white Warbler, Mniotilta varia 13 Scarlet Tanager, Piranga olivacea_____-~ alg 
Golden-winged Warbler, Rose-breasted Grosbeak, 
Vermivora chrysoptera —---_--______ 5 Pheucticus ludovicianus ~~--------_-- 2 
Tennessee Warbler, Vermivora peregrina_107 Indigo Bunting, Passerina cyanea____---~ 1 
Nashville Warbler, Vermivora ruficapilla. 2 Dickceissel, Spiza americana___------____ 1 
Yellow Warbler, Dendroica petechia_____ 1 Swamp Sparrow, Melospiza georgiana. 1 
Tuesday, September 16, was a day of intermittent rainfall that varied 
from a trace to .18 inches which was recorded at 8 p.m. (Capitol Airport 
Weather Bureau, Springfield). The highest temperature (74°) during the 
day occurred at 3 p.m.; this was followed with a gradual decline until a 
minimum temperature of 58° was reached at 2 a.m. on the morning of 
September 17. The wind velocity of 12 to 18 m.p.h. remained fairly con- 
stant throughout the night, the direction changing slightly from north- 
northeast to due north after midnight. Relative humidity increased from 
