Wildlife Expert: Nesting Birds In North Woods Are Threatened By Fireworks

A wildlife expert is warning about the dangers fireworks pose to nesting birds in the North Woods. According to Marge Gibson of the Raptor Education Group near Antigo, Independence Day comes at a critical time for eagles, loons and songbirds.

“People come up to the North Woods to hear the loons on the water in the morning when they wake, and to see the eagles soaring above,” she said. “When people are setting off fireworks around their remote cabins, they truly don’t realize that this is kind of an incubator for a lot of very sensitive species.”

Last summer, Gibson saw five young eagles that were injured or killed because of the indiscriminate use of fireworks near their nests.

“One actually flew through a firework, was frightened by the sound apparently, and she was embedded with metal and with multiple burns all over her body. She died,” said Gibson.

Gibson also said she has seen loon chicks disoriented by the noise created when fireworks are set off over northern lakes.

“Someone threw an explosive into the water, probably not aware of what would happen, but the loons had just hatched chicks,” she said.

July 4 occurs just as young birds are leaving their nests.