Several ‘Noguchigera’ or Pryer’s woodpeckers, have been found dead this year in Takae, Higashi Village. Noguchigera is the Prefectural Bird of Okinawa and a designated natural treasure of Japan that lives only in the northern woods of Okinawa. It’s also a highly endangered species.

In February two dead birds were found, one outside a private residence, and the other on the property of a junior high school. Then two more were found at the school in August and one more in October. In each case veterinarians who inspected the dead birds came to conclusion that they died after crashing into windows.

Four of the five cases happened at Takae Junior High School.  After the third incident, the school staff took measures putting protective covers on the windows but, in spite of the covers, another dead bird was found on October 28^th.

A Noguchigera observer, Tamotsu Nakamura, says, “This is the first time we have found dead Noguchigera within such a short time during my 40 years of observation.  I can’t help thinking the reason is flights of MV-22 Ospreys over the area.  Maybe the deep bass sound of Osprey causes Noguchigera to panic.”

Osprey aircraft are often flying over Takae Junior High School, and according to students and teachers, sometimes the deep bass sound of the aircraft makes the school’s windows vibrate for as long as a minute.

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