Wildlife

Wild Bird Window Collisions

Billions of birds die annually from building glass strikes — a largely preventable form of wildlife mortality.

Key Facts

Up to 1 billion birds die from window collisions annually in the US alone
Glass is the second leading human-caused bird mortality after cats
Reflective glass and large windows pose the greatest risk
Simple deterrents can reduce collisions by up to 90%

Welfare Considerations

Birds cannot perceive glass as a solid barrier and collide at high speed, causing traumatic injuries including concussions, internal bleeding, and broken necks. Even birds that appear to recover may die hours later from injuries. The problem is concentrated around buildings during migration seasons when billions of birds move across continents. Solutions exist and are affordable — the main barrier is awareness and building code adoption.

What You Can Do

Apply bird-safe window treatments such as UV-reflective decals
Support bird-safe building certification programs
Advocate for bird-safe glass requirements in building codes
Report window collision locations to citizen science databases