Name: Mapping the KY / TN "Blackbird War": Spatially Reconstructing Historic Avian Depredation (1974–1992)
Start: 2026-09-30T04:00:01-0400
End: 2026-09-30T04:00:01-0400

Mapping the KY / TN "Blackbird War": Spatially Reconstructing Historic Avian Depredation (1974–1992)

Wednesday September 30, 2026 TBA

Between 1974 and 1992, ~ 38 million “blackbirds” died, mostly in Kentucky and Tennessee from 83 applications of the surfactant PA-14 (“tergitol”). This project geographically locates these "bird kill events" (BKEs) using ArcGIS Pro, Alteryx, and other tools. By triangulating sparse archival records — e.g., local newspaper articles —with sometimes inaccurate federal and research reports, this project translates disparate historical data into spatial visualizations.
The analysis locates the regions, methods, and magnitudes of the kills, noting how local accounts justified them as public health and crop protection measures even as the use of Huey helicopters gave the operations a performative, militarized quality. The presentation will explore the use of GIS tools to verify omitted site details and analyze the "success" rates of these events. This session demonstrates the power of mapping to document human-wildlife conflict and the ecological consequences of mass eradication programs.

Speakers

Dan Stone

Emeritus Professor (University of Kentucky), KY master naturalist, BCTC student (environmental science technology), Kentucky master naturalists

Dan Stone is a Professor Emeritus at the University of Kentucky and a KY Master Naturalist specializing in environmental science technology. His research leverages ArcGIS Pro and Alteryx to perform spatial forensics on historic ecological data. His current project, "The Big Bird Kill... Read More →

Wednesday September 30, 2026 TBA

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Kentucky GIS Conference 2026

Dan Stone

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Kentucky GIS Conference 2026

Dan Stone

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