Wild Bird Collision Prevention | Animal Welfare Hub

Window collisions kill an estimated one billion birds annually in the United States alone. Simple and affordable prevention measures dramatically reduce this source of wildlife mortality and suffering.

Key Facts

Up to one billion birds die from window collisions annually in the US making it a leading human-caused bird mortality
Birds cannot perceive glass as a barrier and fly into reflections of sky and vegetation
Any window can be a collision hazard, with large picture windows and glass doors being highest risk
Birds that survive initial collision may die later from internal injuries and brain trauma
Window collision solutions including UV-reflective tape and fritted glass are effective and affordable
Keeping cats indoors prevents secondary predation of stunned collision survivors

Welfare Considerations

Window collisions cause acute traumatic injury and death for enormous numbers of birds daily. Injured birds suffer from concussion, internal hemorrhage, and disorientation, and are vulnerable to predation even if they recover consciousness. This mortality source is largely invisible because birds that fly away often die elsewhere. Prevention is highly effective and affordable: window films, external screens, close-spaced string or tape patterns on glass, and purpose-designed collision prevention products reduce strikes by 90% or more. Building design incorporating bird-safe glass from the outset eliminates the problem entirely. Individual action at home combined with advocacy for bird-safe building codes addresses this at scale.

What You Can Do

Apply bird collision prevention tape, film, or screens to windows that birds frequently strike
Keep feeders and birdbaths either very close to windows or more than 10 meters away
Keep cats indoors to prevent predation of stunned collision survivors
Advocate for bird-safe building standards and retrofit programs in your community