Wildlife

Wild Bird Window Strike Prevention

Up to one billion birds die from window strikes annually in North America alone, making collisions with glass one of the leading human-caused bird mortalities.

Key Facts

An estimated 599 million to 988 million birds die from window strikes in the US each year
Birds cannot perceive glass as a barrier and are attracted by reflected vegetation
Fritted or patterned glass reduces strikes by up to 90% in studies
Night-lit buildings during migration season are particularly deadly to nocturnal migrants

Welfare Considerations

Window strikes cause acute trauma including concussions, broken bones, and internal bleeding. Birds that survive the initial impact often die within hours from delayed brain injury. The scale of this mortality is staggering and entirely preventable through building design and simple home modifications.

What You Can Do

Apply bird-safe film or decals spaced no more than 2 inches apart on windows
Turn off non-essential interior lights during peak migration nights
Advocate for bird-safe glass standards in new building construction
Support lights-out programs in your city for migrating birds
Report window strikes to citizen science databases like Project Feederwatch