Window Collisions

Most of us have heard that dreaded thump of a bird hitting our window. During the peak of fall migration in North America, an estimated 4 billion birds will have to navigate through cities, neighbourhoods, and other built environments as they head back south for the winter. With urban centres expanding, and the use of glass on buildings, railings, bus shelters and walkways becoming more common, birds will continue dying at an alarming rate if we do not speed up our response to these collisions.  A recent 2024 study found that over 1 billion birds succumb to injuries caused by bird-window collisions. Together, we can help change this and ensure that our feathered-friends arrive at their wintering grounds safely by participating in Global Bird Rescue, either as an individual or with a team.

A live Yellow Warbler in the hand, rescued after colliding with a window in downtown Toronto (Photo: Yuko – Save Birds Toronto)

Join us for Global Bird Rescue: September 23rd – 29th, 2024

Global Bird Rescue, September 23-29, 2024, is an annual event held by FLAP Canada in partnership with Nature Canada, that encourages everyone to search for and rescue birds injured from collisions with glass. Anyone can participate and make an impact! Global Bird Rescue Teams and individuals from around the world take to the streets to search for and rescue injured birds, while recording window collisions on the Global Bird Collision Mapper. The data collected during this event, and all year round, inspires home and workplace bird-safe retrofits across the globe. The event is graciously sponsored by Feather Friendly® and Niagara Action for Animals.

The Global Bird Collision Mapper

Every bird reported onto the Global Bird Collision Mapper during Global Bird Rescue (and the rest of the year!) helps us further understand the bird-building collision issue and push for bird-safe retrofits on dangerous buildings.

The Global Bird Collision Mapper (birdmapper.org) allows a registered user to report the species, location, time and status of the bird they recover, anywhere in the world. This community science tool shows every collision on its interactive GIS map, providing invaluable data.

Other ways to help during Global Bird Rescue

Make your windows bird-safe

Did you know the majority of bird collisions happen at low story buildings like homes and cottages? Make your windows bird-safe by following these window marker guidelines to make sure you don’t have any collisions at home this fall. There are products available like Feather Friendly ® DIY Tape, Acopian BirdSavers, or even DIY options like tempera paint, tape, and even soap. Every window we make bird-safe is a huge step towards protecting birds.

Bird-safe legislation and retrofits

Pushing for bird-safe legislation will ensure that we continue to protect birds. Reach out to your local member of provincial parliament, City Councillors, and let them know about the issue, and that you would like them to support bird-safe legislation. Encouraging retrofits on commercial buildings with known window collisions is another fantastic way to help. Have you witnessed bird collisions at your workplace? Try reaching out to the building manager to let them know that retrofitting the building will save countless birds’ lives.

Turn lights off at night

As birds migrate at night, they use the stars to guide them. Bright lights from  urban centres can draw birds off course. Once in these urban spaces, they risk colliding with glass. Do you have outside pot lights? Do your neighbours? Try turning these unnecessary outdoor lights off during migration in spring and fall, to help birds by-pass dangerous cities.

Dim the lights for birds at night! Indoor and outdoor lights at night can draw birds into urban centres. During the day, birds collide with glass trying to reach reflected habitat.

Report Buildings with Nature Canada & FLAP Canada’s Bird-Friendly Building Survey 

Help us collect information on buildings and their efforts to be bird-friendly. The Bird-Friendly Building Survey offers a way to track bird-friendly buildings across the globe by showcasing their designs! This survey also acts as a database for identifying problem buildings where numerous birds are known to collide.  When it comes to reducing collisions, the ultimate goal is to have buildings address the issue of collisions by treating their windows and glass facades with effective visual markers.

You can make a difference!

Every single person can help protect birds from fatal collisions with glass. Participating in Global Bird Rescue and helping injured birds, making your home windows bird-safe, pushing for bird-safe legislation, telling your friends, neighbours, co-workers and family about the issue, are all great ways to make a difference. Every year FLAP Canada picks up thousands of birds. Together, we can reduce these numbers and save bird lives.

Register now to participate and check out our webinar with Nature Canada to learn more!