Application of Bird Window Decals to Reduce

Window Collisions on Campus

Greta Becker and Sami O’Neill

Leading Causes of Death for Birds

Four leading causes of mortality of birds killed each year by human activities.

Discovery Magazine (2014)

Window Strikes
● Effects all birds, but especially
migratory birds

● Birds see reflections of the sky,

vegetation, and the ground in the
windows

● East and West windows are the

most problematic
Building Collisions Research

Benjamin Wanger

University of Michigan
Non-Permanent Window Strike Solutions

Netting

Window Decals

ABC Tape Screens

More Permanent Solutions

UV Light Window Glass

Window Shutters
Protecting Birds around the Loras College Campus
● First composting, now protecting the birds. Loras
is continuing to grow as an environmentally
friendly community

● Brings awareness to students, faculty, and staff

about the impacts of human activities on birds;
subconsciously building land ethic

A wild turkey fatally crashed into a

window in downtown Dubuque on
March 27, 2019.
● This is an issue that is already prevalent in
Dubuque
Bird Mortality at Loras College
● At least 15 birds have been killed by the windows at Loras College in the past two
years

● This is a difficult number to quantify because it is likely that if a healthy bird dies
it will be eaten by a cat, racoon, or other scavenger
Our Process
1. Received permission from John McDermitt to hang decals at Loras
College
2. Researched a variety of decals deciding on white static cling decals from
Whispering Pines

1. Requested $100 from Student Union through Loras Sustainability

2. Researched locations around Loras’ campus that posed as a hazard to
birds
3. Placed window decals in the AWC, Fitness Center, and Cafeteria
What can YOU do?
● Be proactive in protecting birds from windows
○ Move plants away from windows
○ Keep blinds partially closed during the day
○ Do not place bird feeders next to windows
● Be a Bird Advocate!
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.
Erickson, Jim; Wagner, Benjamin. “Fatal Chirps: Nocturnal Flight Calls Increase Building Collisions among Migrating Birds.”
University of Michigan News, 2 Apr. 2019.

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.
Hogstrom, Erik. “Fowl Play: Wild Turkey Breaks into Dubuque Bank.” Telegraph Herald, 27 Mar. 2019.

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.
Works Cited Continued
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.
Zielinski, Sarah. “What's Killing the Birds?” Discover, Nov. 2014.