Wildlife

Wild Bird Collision Prevention and Window Strikes

Window strikes kill hundreds of millions of birds annually, with simple modifications dramatically reducing collision mortality.

Key Facts

Window strikes kill an estimated 100-1000 million birds annually in North America alone
Birds cannot perceive glass as a barrier and see reflections as habitat extension
Patterns spaced 5-10cm apart applied to glass surfaces prevent most collision attempts
External window film and screens are highly effective collision prevention methods
Lighting management at night reduces migration-period collision risk significantly

Welfare Considerations

Window strikes cause acute trauma, death or injury requiring rehabilitation in billions of birds annually. The individual welfare harm of window collision is severe and the cumulative population impact is enormous. Simple, inexpensive modifications to windows can reduce collision mortality by up to 90%.

What You Can Do

Apply collision prevention patterns or films to large windows in your home
Turn off unnecessary indoor lighting during spring and autumn migration periods
Report window strike birds to collision monitoring databases