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Tall Buildings Are Bigger Threat to Birds Than Wind Power

  • Trump calls wind turbines significant threat to eagles
  • National Audubon Society says cats, windows kill more birds
A Trump-owned hotel stands in Manhattan as protesters rally in front of it on May 6, 2016, in New York City.

A Trump-owned hotel stands in Manhattan as protesters rally in front of it on May 6, 2016, in New York City.

Photographer: Spencer Platt/Getty Images
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Donald Trump criticized the wind-power industry this week for killing birds. A far bigger threat is real estate developers and their tall buildings.

About 599 million birds are killed annually in the U.S. when they fly into windows, trailing only loss of habitat and cats as the top causes of bird deaths, according to the National Audubon Society. Wind turbines account for about 234,000.