Wildlife

Wild Bird Window Collision Prevention

Hundreds of millions of birds die each year from building window collisions, making this one of the most preventable sources of bird mortality.

Key Facts

An estimated 100-1 billion birds die from window collisions annually in North America alone
Birds cannot see glass and fly into reflections of habitat or open sky
Collisions cause immediate death, delayed death from internal injuries, or stunning
Predators often take stunned birds before they recover
UV-reflective glass, window films, and external screens are effective deterrents

Welfare Considerations

Window collision causes acute trauma including skull fractures, brain injury, and internal haemorrhage. Stunned birds that survive may suffer from concussion for hours and are highly vulnerable to predation and temperature extremes. Even birds that fly away after collision often die from delayed injury. The scale of this mortality represents enormous individual suffering that is largely preventable through building design and retrofit measures.

What You Can Do

Apply window film or decals with 5cm or less spacing to prevent bird strikes
Use external insect screens or UV-patterned glass on high-risk windows
Place bird feeders either very close (less than 1m) or far from windows to reduce strike risk
Advocate for bird-safe building design standards in planning regulations