If you want to see your fireworks and protect birds and wildlife, too, the best thing to do is attend a permitted community-based display, rather than setting off your own pyrotechnic devices. City and town sponsored fireworks are concentrated in one location, rather than in several locations at once, which is what often happens in neighborhoods. This allows birds and wildlife to move to a “safer” location rather than continuing to flee noises coming at them from all directions; mimicking a war zone. Hampered by poor night vision, birds bump into houses, trees and other objects. Nesting seabirds flee their nests leaving their eggs and/or fledglings vulnerable to predators. (Do Fireworks Cause Bird Deaths, Audubon, July 3, 2012)
According to the Washington State Status Report for the Tufted Puffin (2015) Tufted puffins form dense breeding colonies, during the summer reproductive season, along the Washington coast line, which includes Whidbey Island. Given the rate of recent population decreases, related to human disturbance to breeding colonies, widespread colony abandonment, and ongoing threats from multiple factors, Tufted Puffins are likely to continue to decline; prompting Washington state to approve its listing as an endangered species. If the current 8.9% annual rate of decline continues, the state's population could become functionally extirpated within about 40 years.
The war-zone like atmosphere, created by firework activity, terrifies and panics local wildlife, especially deer, many of whom have fawns in July. Deer attempt to escape the loud booms and dart into road ways and collide with vehicles.
Millions of birds lose energy due to fireworks on New Year's Eve. For article click here.
Fireworks have long lasting effects on Wild Birds. For article, click here
Impact on Federally Protected Bald and Golden Eagles – U.S. Fish & Wildlife
Bald Eagles in Island County are protected by the Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act (16 U.S.C. 668-668c) which provides criminal penalties for persons who disturb an eagle. “Disturb” is defined as “to agitate or bother a bald or golden eagle to a degree that causes, or is likely to cause, based on the best scientific information available, 1) injury to an eagle, 2) a decrease in its productivity, by substantially interfering with normal breeding, feeding, or sheltering behavior, or 3) nest abandonment, by substantially interfering with normal breeding, feeding, or sheltering behavior" (50 CFR 22.6). A violation of this act can result in a fine of $100,000 or imprisonment for one year, or both. Permits are required for activities that disturb an eagle. According to the Federal Migratory Bird Office, shooting off fireworks within 660' of an eagle’s nest, is considered a "disturbance to nesting eagles [and] is unlawful without a permit."
If you know of someone who is in violation of this ordinance, you can contact the Washington State Fish and Wildlife Service (law enforcement division) at 425- 883-8122. This can result in a letter to the offending party:
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