… killed on a forest road, eastern Poland.

The number of roadkills is dramatically increasing in spring. Mating season drives animals crazy and young animals are often victims of the unknown threat. Here, two passerine species are documented as roadkills by A. Marten.

Male of House Sparrow, killed during the breeding season, Niederweimar, Hesse, Germany.

Grey Wagtail, Bayreuth, Bavaria, Germany.  Fotos by Andreas Marten

A dead crossbill (Loxia curvirostra) found on a country road, Foto: M.Becker.

Long-tailed tit (Aegithalos caudatus), Foto: M.Becker.

Martin Becker, an enthusiastic birder from Germany, just reported a small survey on bird roadkills from his trip to Oman. Along a 100 km stretch of highway he found about 10 rollers, 12 Mynas and one crow. Some of the victims can be seen here:

A roller …

A crested lark. Oman, all photos: Martin Becker

Eurasian treecreeper (Certhia familiaris) as roadkill; reported by Andreas Marten, Braunschweig.

Martin Becker provided that picture from a dead gull (Larus marinus, 3rd year). At coastlines, here: Texel Island in the Netherlands (02.10.2008), birds are often affected by strong winds and therefore often clash with vehicles.

Seldom, one can see hawfinches close to the ground. This bird got killed possibly when drinking at a puddle close at the roadside, Bialowieza Forest, Poland.

Foto: A.Marten, Maburg.

Turdus merula. To our opinion, black birds are one of the most common roadkill victims.

Foto: A. Marten, Marburg.

… the loss of adult animals is causing the potential loss of the whole brood as the breeding sex or the offspring suffer.

A jay (Garrulus glandarius)

Song thrush (Turdus philomelos)