This is Bird Note.

Birds are clever creatures.

It's part of what makes them so fun to watch.

But human infrastructure, like open pipes, can turn a bird's natural curiosity into a death sentence.

Open vertical pipes are commonly used to build fences, anchor gates, and post signs.

Inquisitive birds often inspect these cavities in their search for food and nest sites.

For example, this western bluebird can comfortably fit through a hole just one and a half inches wide. But without enough room to turn around or spread his wings in the smooth pipe, the little bird will be trapped and eventually die.

Open pipes not only kill birds, they also entomb insects, reptiles, and small mammals.

It's why conservationists call them death pipes.

Thankfully, there's an easy way to protect birds from death pipes.

Cap them.

Conservation groups like the Tucson Bird Alliance

recommend covering any open pipe one inch in diameter or wider.

You can use store-bought caps or make your own

by plugging the hole with cardboard and backfilling the opening with cement mix.

You'll find more resources on how to cover death pipes safely and other actions you can take for birds when you visit our website, birdnote.org.

I'm Ariana Rimmel.