Addressing Threats from Open Vertical Pipes
Open vertical pipes can be found almost everywhere – on homes, office buildings, construction sites, agricultural fields, mining operations, even on protected public lands. They can take the form of fence posts, signposts, irrigation systems, survey markers, vents on buildings, and even vault toilet ventilation ducts. Any open vertical pipe between about 1 to 10 inches in diameter with smooth walls (such as PVC or metal) is a potential trap where birds and other wildlife can die. Thinking it is a cavity, birds enter the open pipe looking for food, or a place to nest or roost. Because of the small size and smooth materials, once they enter either they can’t open their wings to fly out, or they cannot gain purchase to climb back out.
Unlike birds colliding into windows, buildings, or other structures where bird bodies remain visible, birds trapped in pipes end up dying a slow death, completely unnoticed in sewer systems, septic tanks, the bottom of pipes, and other hidden locations. The problem has largely been invisible.
However, the conservation community is becoming aware of just how big a threat open pipes are for birds. Biologists now believe that open pipes trap and entomb millions of birds and other wildlife each year.
Easy Solutions
The good news is that with some basic modifications, we can help birds avoids these hazards. You can remove, cap, cover, or fill the pipe. You can easily and inexpensively construct caps, covers, and screens or purchase premade options. Caps and covers must be able to withstand the elements like extreme sun, wind, and rain. Derelict or unused open pipes may be removed with the landowner’s permission, or filled with rock, sand, or cement. Which option you choose will depend on the material of pipe and what it is used for, but we offer specific guidance on recommended practices and additional resources below (coming soon).
- Mining claim markers
- Vault toilet vents
- Pipes, chimneys, and flues
- Fence posts