Wildlife

Wild Passerine Bird Window Strikes

Window strikes kill hundreds of millions of birds annually, with songbirds and migratory species particularly affected by reflective and transparent glass.

Key Facts

Up to 1 billion birds die from window strikes annually in North America alone
Migratory birds navigating at night are especially vulnerable to lit buildings
Birds cannot perceive glass as a barrier and fly into reflections
Fritted glass with UV patterns visible to birds reduces strikes significantly
Low-emission glass with high reflectivity poses greater risk than older designs

Welfare Considerations

Window strikes cause acute trauma and death. Even survivable strikes often result in internal injuries, brain trauma, and delayed death. Prevention is highly effective.

What You Can Do

Apply bird-safe window films or fritted patterns to high-risk windows
Turn off unnecessary indoor lighting during migration seasons
Place feeders and plants away from large glass surfaces
Support building standards requiring bird-safe glass in new construction