Bird-window collisions kill up to one billion birds annually in North America alone, making them one of the leading human-caused sources of bird mortality. Simple interventions dramatically reduce strikes.
Window strikes cause immense bird suffering at massive scale. Birds that strike windows and survive are often concussed — they sit stunned on the ground, highly vulnerable to predation, dehydration, and secondary injury for hours before recovering or dying. Many concussed birds appear to recover but die later from internal hemorrhage. The suffering involved — acute trauma, prolonged disorientation, and painful death — is inflicted entirely by human infrastructure that can be modified. The solutions are straightforward and inexpensive: applying bird-safe window markers, decals, or films that break up reflections costs little compared to the scale of suffering prevented. Larger buildings can install bird-safe glass or install interior blinds.