About this Collection
Every year, we lose nearly one billion birds from fatal collisions with buildings in the U.S.
While most bird collisions happen at glass windows in homes and low-rise buildings, larger lit structures like communication towers and even smaller structures like glass walkways and bus stop shelters also pose a threat.
The good news: these threats are preventable!
There are numerous actions we can all take to save birds at our homes, schools, businesses, and elsewhere within our communities.
Why do birds collide with glass and other structures?
To birds, glass is an invisible barrier they struggle to see. During the day, they mistakenly fly towards reflections in glass that may deceive them to be natural habitat, such as sky or plants. At night, they are attracted to artificial lights on our landscape and in our homes, drawing them closer to our windows and other lit structures. The impacts of light pollution are especially bad for birds during their peak spring and fall migration periods when most birds migrate at night and are even more vulnerable to becoming disoriented and exhausted. Although some birds seem fine after a collision, most later die from head injuries.
Like many homes and buildings, communication towers are also often lit at night. Towers with flashing lights have shown to be safer and less alluring to birds than those with non-flashing lights. When birds are attracted to communication towers at night, they become more likely to collide with the tower or the tower's wire supports.
Whether it be your home, school, business, communication tower, or any other facility, there are bird-friendly practices you can take to make a difference and transform your community into a safe haven for migratory birds.
Join the flock and help Bring Birds Back with a more #BirdFriendly community!
BIRD-FRIENDLY BUILDING TOOLKIT
BIRD-FRIENDLY COMMUNICATION TOWER TOOLKIT
DEVELOPING A BIRD-GLASS COLLISION MONITORING PROGRAM
Please note: these toolkits are in development and continuously updated as new resources become available!
Be sure to share your conservation efforts with friends and family.
Inspire others on social media with #BirdSafeGlass, #BirdFriendly, #BringBirdsBack, #SafeSkies, and #LightsOutforBirds!
Podcast on Collisions by USFWS/NCTC on Collisions- Birds in Flight: Migration and Its Perils