Rare birds force Mass. city to move Fourth of July fireworks to Labor Day weekend

AMESBURY, Mass. — A Massachusetts city has pushed back its planned Fourth of July fireworks event to Labor Day weekend due to the presence of rare birds.

Amesbury can’t shoot off fireworks on Independence Day as initially planned because endangered Bobolinks are nesting at Woodsom Farm, according to Amesbury Days Committee organizer Eli Ballin.

“With the inability to mow the fields for the needed space for both the crowds and parking, we are unable to host the fireworks on Fourth of July,” Ballin said in a statement. “After discussions with the mayor and the police department, we are not comfortable moving the fireworks to an alternate location for the 4th and have made the decision to postpone the fireworks to Labor Day weekend and keep the fireworks at Woodsom Farm as nesting season will be over.”

Amesbury Mayor Kassandra Gove said her office, with the assistance of the Massachusetts Division of Fisheries and Wildlife, identified two sections of the farm that could be mowed, but that the areas were determined to be too small to accommodate crowds for the fireworks.

“Due to the inability to provide acceptable seating and spectator parking for the amount of people that typically attend this event along with the consideration for the susceptibility of these birds to disruption and harm by holding the event, it was determined that the event could not safely proceed as planned until a larger section can be cleared once nesting has concluded,” Gove said in a news release.

Bobolinks are small songbirds with large, somewhat flat heads, short necks, and short tails. They are related to blackbirds and orioles.

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The bobolink population has “declined significantly” in recent years due to the loss of nesting habitat, according to the Audobon.

Original prime breeding areas were damp meadows and natural prairies with a dense growth of grass and weeds and a few low bushes, the Audobon noted. Such habitats are still favored but hard to find, and today most Bobolinks in the eastern United States nest in hayfields.

Ballin noted that the postponement of the fireworks is an “unfortunate situation,” but that Amesbury Days is looking forward to hosting the celebration at the end of the summer.

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