Greta Becker & Sami O’Neill

3 May 2019

Issues in Bird Biology

Research Project Paper

Up to a billion birds die each year in the United States via window collisions (Loss,
2014). This is the second leading cause of avian death, as feral cats kill an estimated 1.3-3.7
billion birds per year (Loss, 2013). Studies have shown that all species of birds are not equally
likely to die via window collisions. For example, a 2013 study showed that wood thrushes are
most commonly killed by collisions with houses, and worm-eating warblers are most commonly
killed by collisions with high rise buildings. The Ruby-throated Hummingbird, Brown Creeper,
Ovenbird, Yellow-bellied Sapsucker, Gray Catbird, and Black-and-white Warbler were equally
likely to run into windows, regardless of building size (Loss, 2013). While, intuitively, it would
seem that high rise skyscrapers would lead to a greater number of collisions, 56% of mortality
occurs at low-rises, 44% at residences, and 1% at high-rises. Home collisions are more prevalent
than collisions with high risers, so this issue is a problem that must be examined in terms of what
individual home owners can do to take action, not necessarily large corporations.

The transparency and reflectivity of glass create a dangerous illusion of clear space that
birds do not see as an obstacle. During the day, birds see reflections of the sky, the ground,
vegetation, or even themselves and perceive this as reality. There are many factors that affect and
predict collision risk. One factor is whether a house is in a rural or urban area. Rural areas had a
six times higher collision risk than urban areas (Kummer, 2016). Another risk factor is
vegetation. Birds were four times more likely to collide into houses in yards with trees greater
than two stories high in comparison to houses with no trees in the yard (Kummer, 2016).
Vegetation is obviously helpful in that it provides habitat for birds. However, vegetation around
homes places birds at a greater risk for collision. Thus, increased vegetation comes with the
added responsibility for homeowners to protect birds from windows. Similarly, bird feeders also
attract birds, especially in the winter months (Kummer, 2015). The closer in proximity these
feeders are to a house, the more likely that a collision will result.
 Building characteristics can also influence bird fatality as structures with greater than
45% glass composition result in large numbers of window strikes (Sambo, 2016). A 2016 study
examined the effects of age on bird collisions and the effect of migrant vs resident birds. While
they hypothesized that older birds would collide less with windows after “learning” about some
of the effects of humans on nature, they found that there was no difference in the average age of
birds involved in collisions (Sabo, 2016). The same study found that a higher percentage of
migrants or partial migrants died from window collisions than resident species. This makes sense
since resident species would be more familiar with the area and the potentially dangerous
windows in the area. A final factor that affects bird collision rates is light pollution. A recently
published study, which examined patterns in bird deaths over the past 40 years in Chicago,
reported over 70,000 songbird deaths due to collisions. Many of the deaths were attributed to
artificial light from buildings which attracts birds on migration routes at night. As a result, when
the birds are attracted to the light they send out flight calls to lure other nearby birds to the light,
and thus to their death (Winger, 2019).

While there are many factors that contribute to bird collisions, many of these factors are
easily preventable. There are many commercial products available in order to keep birds away
from windows. The first option are window decals. Decals are made of white static cling designs.
These are placed on either the inside outside of the window surface and are highly effective in
breaking up the reflections so birds can “see” the glass and avoid striking it. In addition, many of
the decals have a special coating that reflects UV light which is invisible to humans, but which to
birds appear as a bright light. Decals can be placed in a horizontal or vertical design. It is
recommended that for vertical designs, the decals are at least ¼ inch wide with a maximum space
of 4 inches, and for a horizontal design, the decals should be ¼ inch wide with a maximum
spacing of 2 inches (Sheppard 2011; Klem 2009). The most common decal brands are $7- $10
for a pack of eight (Whispering Pines) (Window Alert). Decals that are applied to the exterior of
the window will need to be replaced every 4-6 months, and interior decals can be replaced when
they no longer stick to the window or when they are worn.

Decals are not the only option available. For example, ABC tape, is a translucent tape
applied to the exterior of the windows and is available in pre-cut 3'' squares. The tape is durable
and can last four times longer than most bird decals. ABC tape is $20 for a 50-foot roll. This
tape may prove to be a better option for larger windows in which birds could simply fly around
decals (American Bird Conservancy). Instead of tape, other prefer placing 1/2 inch adhesive dots
spaced 2 inches vertically and horizontally. This design is often more effective than tape at
preventing strikes by smaller birds such as hummingbirds (US Fish and Wildlife). If someone
does not want to place tape or stickers directly onto the window, screens or netting can be placed
in front of the window. The screens can reduce reflection, or at the very least provide a cushion
before the bird would collide with the glass. For most effective use, the screen should be placed
far enough in front of the window to prevent collision with the glass itself. If netting is used, the
openings should be no larger than 1/2 inch (US Fish and Wildlife). A 100 ft. x 14 ft. standard
bird netting can be purchased for $50 (Home Depot).
If you are in the process of constructing a house or business, keep birds in mind when
choosing your windows. When putting in new windows, put in glass that reflects UV light, as
birds can see in the ultraviolet spectrum. Builders can also use overhangs or shutters in order to
reduce glass reflections and create a shadow especially on sunny days (US Fish and Wildlife).
These architectural features would be the most expensive option, but also the most durable, as
UV reflective windows last up to 30 years (US Fish and Wildlife).

After thorough analysis, it has been concluded that none of the collision solutions are
necessarily superior to another. Rather, it is important that the solution chosen is used correctly.
Here at Loras College, we identified a variety of windows that are hazardous to birds. Due to
limited time and resources, we focused on windows that face east/west which may strongly
reflect the sunrise/sunset, again posing a problem for the birds (Cowell, 2017). Thus, we chose
the windows on the east side of the Athletic Wellness Center on both the first and second level of
the fitness center, as well as the west side of the gymnasium. We also placed decals on the east
side of the cafeteria over-looking the physical plant. Decals were chosen over other potential
solutions because the Whispering Windows decals were the only option that was advertised as
equally effective on both the inside and outside of the window. They were also affordable at
$6.99 for a pack of eight and were available in a variety of designs (Whispering Pines). We
chose the black-capped chickadee and hummingbird varieties. In order to apply the decals, we
arranged them vertically in the center of each window at 20 inches apart. We designed a flyer
explaining the project and where the decals could be purchased, which was placed on the wall
 next to the decals. We purchased $100 worth of these decals, and these funds were requested and
approved from student union on behalf of Loras Sustainability.

Protecting birds from hazardous windows is not a difficult task. There are many simple
adjustments that can be made in order to keep these beautiful creatures flying safely. You can
place decals, tape, screens, or nets on the window surface in order to reduce the transparency of
the glass. Also, move plants away from windows, keep blinds partially closed during the day in
order to create a vertical striped appearance, and, if you have bird feeders, do not place them
directly next to a window. With these adjustments, we can all help prevent bird strikes. It is part
of recognizing that we are part of a bigger habitat!

A B C
Placement of bird decals across the Loras College campus. From left to right decals were placed on A) East facing
windows of the cafeteria B) East facing windows on the first and second floor of the Athletic Wellness Center weight
room C) East facing windows of the Athletic Wellness Center gymnasium
Works Cited:

Cowell, Samuel, et al. “Reducing the Risk of Birds Colliding into Windows: A Practical Guide
for Homes and Businesses.” Utah State University, Jan. 2017.
Home Depot. “Bird-X 100 Ft. x 14 Ft. Standard Bird Netting-NET-STD-100-14.” 10 July 2016,
www.homedepot.com/p/Bird-X-100-ft-x-14-ft-Standard-Bird-Netting-NET-STD-100
14/204101324.
Klem, Daniel. “Preventing Bird—Window Collisions.” The Wilson Journal of Ornithology, vol.
121, no. 2, 2009, pp. 314–321.

Kummer, J. A., & Bayne, E. M. “Bird feeders and their effects on bird-window collisions at
residential houses.” Avian Conservation and Ecology, vol. 10, no. 2, 2015.

Kummer, Justine A., et al. “Use of Citizen Science to Identify Factors Affecting Bird–Window
Collision Risk at Houses.” The Condor, vol. 118, no. 3, 2016, pp. 624–639.

Loss, Scott R., et al. “Bird–Building Collisions in the United States: Estimates of Annual
Mortality and Species Vulnerability.” The Condor, vol. 116, no. 1, 2014, pp. 8–23.,

Loss, Scott R., et al. “The Impact of Free-Ranging Domestic Cats on Wildlife of the United
States.” Nature Communications, vol. 4, no. 1, 2013.

Sabo, Ann M., et al. “Local Avian Density Influences Risk of Mortality from Window
Strikes.” PeerJ, vol. 4, 2016.

Sheppard, C. “Bird-friendly Building Design.” American Bird Conservancy, 2015.

United State Fish and Wildlife Service, Division of Migratory Bird Management. “Reducing
Bird Collisions with Buildings and Building Glass Best Practices.” Reducing Bird
Collisions with Buildings and Building Glass Best Practices, 2016, pp. 1–16.

“Whispering Pines.” Whispering Pines, www.wpines.com/.

Window Alert, windowalert.com/.
Winger, Benjamin M., et al. “Nocturnal Flight-Calling Behavior Predicts Vulnerability to
Artificial Light in Migratory Birds.” Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological
Sciences, vol. 286, no. 1900, 2019.