Wildlife

Wild Bird Welfare and Window Strikes 2026

Window strikes kill up to one billion birds annually in North America alone, making this one of the most tractable bird welfare interventions.

Key Facts

Birds cannot perceive glass as a barrier, treating reflections as open sky
Up to 1 billion birds die from window strikes annually in North America
Bird-safe glass patterns visible in UV wavelengths prevent most strikes
Retrofit films applied to existing windows reduce strikes by over 90%
New building codes in 2026 required bird-safe glass in several US cities

Welfare Considerations

Window strikes cause acute suffering and enormous mortality. Simple, affordable interventions can prevent the vast majority of deaths.

What You Can Do

Apply bird-safe decals or film to your windows
Advocate for bird-safe building codes in your area
Support organizations working on bird-safe building standards