Window strikes by birds can be prevented
- Moira Rosser-Peterson
- 5 days ago
- 2 min read
~wildlife education~
Photo credit: istock.com/John Kevin
Millions of birds die each year in North America from collisions with windows. In Canada, estimates range from 16 to 42 million migratory birds killed annually. These collisions are primarily due to birds not recognizing glass as a barrier, whether it's transparent or reflective.
In the daytime, reflected light poses a severe threat to birds. Birds can see through glass and what is reflected on glass, but they cannot see the glass itself. At night, artificial light from buildings and cityscapes are dangerous for birds. Many species of birds migrate at night in the spring and the fall, using light from the moon, the stars, and the setting sun to navigate. The bright lights of our urban areas confuse these birds. Birds migrate in the fall between August 1 and November 15.
If a bird strikes your window and is stunned, give it time to rest and heal. Gently pick up the bird and place it in a ventilated box or sturdy paper bag and keep it in a quiet area protected from prowling cats for up to one hour. Watch to see if the bird flies out, making sure it won’t be towards a window. If it does not fly out, call your local wildlife rehabilitation centre for advice. If a wing is drooping, you may want to bring the bird into the rehabilitation centre for care.
There are various things you can do to try to prevent window strikes at your home, cottage or business: apply decals or a tight spacing of dots to windows, hang streamers, or cover the whole window on the outside. One method that does not work is closing your curtains. Bird proofing must be applied on the outside of the window.
Window decals with UV reflecting properties which can be seen by birds but not by people may help reduce collisions. “Zen curtains” are closely spaced cords that hang down over windows. They do the work of tape or decals but are easier to install and can be aesthetically pleasing. One-way transparent film enables people on the inside to see out, but makes the window appear opaque on the outside. They can reduce the amount of light that comes into your window (and provide the benefit of reducing your cooling costs).
Many window decal options are available in the NIWRA gift shop.
You can help the wildlife in care at NIWRA by making a financial contribution on our secure website. Thank you so much for caring about wildlife!
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