Some worry Taylor firework show could impact egret colony

TAYLOR, Texas (KXAN) – Two years after a video surfaced showing hundreds of birds startled by fireworks, which caused them to fly into power lines and explode a transformer, some in Taylor are still concerned.

The island and lake in Taylor’s Murphy Park hosts thousands of herons and egrets. KXAN previously reported that many birds were killed in the incident. 

Egrets are migratory birds protected by the Migratory Bird Treaty Act of 1918. This means anything that causes potential harm to a bird, violates the act. 

"In 2022, it was just really apparent how impactful the fireworks were on the rookery,” said Caley Zuzula, a program manager at Travis Audubon. 

Following the outcry, the city of Taylor consulted with the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, which advised the city to move the firework launch site more than 1,000 feet away from the egret habitat, or rookery. Before then, the site was only 200 feet from where most birds nest. 

“If fireworks are in pretty close proximity to where the birds are, especially at night when they're resting, it's going to cause them a lot of distress,” Zuzula said. “They will get really freaked out and potentially abandon their young or [get stressed] and collide with a building, which is another big issue.”

Zuzula said some can get so stressed by the noise, they can have heart attacks and die. 

In a statement to KXAN, a Taylor spokesperson said, that since the site of the fireworks was moved, there were “no known harmful effects for the birds.” 

In 2022, the fireworks show in Murphy Park resulted in concerns of harm to a population of protected migratory birds nesting in the park. In 2023, the show was moved more than 1000 feet from the nesting location which was approved by Texas Parks and Wildlife. The 2023 show occurred with no known harmful effects for the birds. The show tomorrow will be held in the same location.

City of Kyle spokesperson

Zuzula said that while she trusts the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department’s recommendation, she still worries the firework show at its current location could impact the birds. 

“Even if the fireworks aren't directly up against the rookery – if they're still in a close proximity, it's going to be harmful to the birds and other wildlife,” she said.