Animals and Insects

This Stadium Is Invisible To Birds — And That Can Be Deadly

The Audubon Society found dozens of birds flew into the glass on this NFL stadium and died during the 2016 fall migration.

This Stadium Is Invisible To Birds — And That Can Be Deadly
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A new NFL stadium is causing big problems for Minnesota wildlife. The Vikings' U.S. Bank stadium is reportedly a deadly obstacle for migrating birds.

The building is reflective. Some birds can't distinguish it from a wide-open sky and hit it at full speed, which can be fatal.

It's especially dangerous because Minneapolis is in a migration path called the Mississippi Flyway. Thousands of birds travel that route between South America and Canada.

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A new Audubon Society report found 60 dead birds from 21 species around the stadium during fall migration. That could be a fraction of the actual number.

But as far back as 2014, the team was warned about the dangers when 77,000 people signed a petition asking the Vikings to consider a bird-safe exterior.

But that didn't happen, and it doesn't seem like it's going to change. The Vikings haven't mentioned any plans to alter the stadium.