Wild Bird Window Strike Prevention

Window strikes kill hundreds of millions of wild birds annually in North America alone. Simple, affordable prevention measures can dramatically reduce this widespread source of bird mortality and suffering.

Key Facts

An estimated 600 million to 1 billion birds die from window collisions in the United States each year
Birds cannot perceive glass as a barrier — they see reflections of sky and vegetation as real space
Most collisions occur at residential buildings, not skyscrapers, making individual action highly impactful
Birds that survive window strikes often have internal injuries, concussions, or hemorrhage
Ultraviolet (UV) patterned glass is invisible to humans but visible to birds as a solid barrier
Window treatments including tape patterns, decals, and external screens are effective prevention measures

Welfare Considerations

Window strikes cause immense cumulative suffering across wild bird populations. Birds that strike windows and survive may appear stunned and recover, but many have sustained internal injuries that cause death hours or days later. The immediate welfare intervention for a stunned bird is to place it in a dark, quiet box for 20-60 minutes to allow recovery, then release it outside if it appears alert. Prevention is straightforward: applying patterned tape, external screens, or ABC (American Bird Conservancy)-certified decals to exterior windows at 2-inch spacing can reduce strikes by over 80%. New buildings can incorporate bird-safe glazing during construction at minimal cost.

What You Can Do

Apply ABC-certified bird deterrent tape or decals to problem windows in your home at 2-inch spacing
Move bird feeders to within 1 meter of windows (too close for fatal velocity) or more than 10 meters away
Advocate for bird-safe building standards in your city or municipality
If you find a stunned bird, place it in a dark box for recovery and contact a wildlife rehabilitator if it does not recover