By: Victoria Badham, Education and Outreach
Thud – the gut-wrenching sound of a bird flying hard into a window. Thud. According to Environment Canada, it’s estimated that 42 million birds die from window strikes in Canada every year, and that number may be conservative. Thud. Spread over the course of a year, that equates to 1 bird death every 0.75 seconds, from windows alone. Thud. Or about 17 bird deaths since you started reading this. Thud.
The statistics are undeniably gloomy, but there is a bright side – compared to other threats facing birds (e.g. habitat loss due to industrial farming and logging, climate change), mitigating window collisions is a less complex issue – and a problem that is entirely preventable with a bit of effort and investment. Many technologies already exist to make windows safer for birds – if we have the knowledge and the will, there’s a way! Gaining a better understanding of why window strikes happen in the first place is the first step.
Collisions can happen year-round and affect any bird species, but migrants are particularly at risk during spring and fall as they journey to their breeding or wintering grounds. Birds face the same challenges as they pass through any city on their flight path, across North America, and mass casualty events are not uncommon.
Although high-rise buildings are a serious issue and there’s much work to do to make these safer for birds, most window strikes happen on single-family homes and low-rise buildings (any building/window lower than the tree line) – e.g. your home! Fall migration is currently underway and there’s never a better time than now to take action!
Are you ready to help our feathered neighbours? Our friends at Fatal Light Awareness Program (FLAP) offer many affordable ways to make your windows safer for birds – from quick and easy fixes, to solutions that are more permanent. Regardless of which option you choose, there are 2 key things to remember to ensure the highest level of protection for birds: window-strike mitigation applications should be used on the outside of windows (to break up reflection), and visual markers should be spaced no more than 2-inches apart.
You can help birds at night too! All you have to do is switch off lights that are not in use, especially bright outdoor lights. Switching to outdoor movement activated lights can also be helpful, as well as closing indoor curtains to reduce light emitting outside.
When weather is bad, or when migrators need a break, they may pick your yard as the perfect rest spot and fuel station. One of the best ways to support these tired birds is to have plenty of native plants, shrubs and trees available for their use. Birds rely mainly on natural food sources that provide a variety of seed, nut and fruit options. Native plants also attract a wide variety of insects, which are critical for insectivorous migrators. Even more, plants provide critical habitat, which is equally important to food. Fall is a great season to get gardening – why not get a jump-start on supporting spring migrators by planting native species now when the weather is great for new establishing plants!
Many people opt to put out a bird feeder during migration. If you do, please make sure to dump out old seed once per week and wash the feeder with hot soapy water and let it dry completely before refilling. This will reduce the spread of disease (due to many birds coming into closer proximity with one another than they normally would at a natural food source).
If you do find an injured bird, it’s critical that they receive medical attention from a licensed wildlife rehabilitator as quickly as possible. To contain them, gently put a tea towel or small cloth over top of them and be careful with their wings. Place the bird in a paper bag, or small cardboard box with a towel at the bottom. If the bird is leaning on their side or forward, twist a small piece of cloth into a donut shape, put it on the floor of the box and place the bird in the middle of the donut, sitting upright – this will take pressure off their air sacs and help them breathe. Don’t offer food or water as it can cause further issues for a patient that is not stable, especially if given incorrectly. Put them in a dark, quiet place away from people and pets until they can be transported to a wildlife rehabilitator.
Can you imagine how many birds have hit windows over the last few minutes? How many fewer birds would be victims if we all took the steps required to make our city safer for birds? Using visual markers – starting with even one problem window – could make the difference between life and death for one bird, or several. Together, we can help birds have a safer journey.
Want to learn/help more?
Check out this webinar from Cornell Lab of Ornithology that provides details on actions you can take around your home to help migratory birds as they move through.
Help save and track window strike victims by joining Global Bird Rescue, as an individual, or a team!
Watch the video When Worlds Collide by Patricia Seaton, which highlights the birds that have fallen victim to windows, and the volunteers who work to save them.