1 billion. That’s the highest estimate for the number of birds that die each year due to collisions with manmade structures.
Join FLAP Canada, Greenwood and other bird lovers during the Global Bird Rescue campaign between October 3rd to 9th to help save our feathered friends.
Migratory birds and others alike face threats from buildings in the daytime and at night. Reflections create the elusion of a continuous flight path. Sometimes these winged creatures see themselves in the glass and perceive a threat on their territory. Either way, this can lead to a window strike, often killing the bird on impact or causing irreversible injuries to its neck and wings. Most do not have the opportunity to receive care in time.
Lights from urban environments can disorientate birds from their traditional routes as they traverse the skies. Natural illumination from the stars, moon, and sunset are used as their guide. Once a light source is spotted, birds tend to follow the course, which unfortunately traps them in downtown mazes. Floodlights, lighthouses and airplane signals are also dangerous to a migratory bird. Ultimately, exhaustion within these beams of light can cause death.
The Data
This year alone, 85 patients have found themselves at Greenwood in need of care by the end of September. In 2021, there were 93 birds admitted to the Center for window strikes – only 32% of these healthy enough to be released back into the wild.
Based on FLAP Canada’s data, more building collisions occur during fall migration compared to the spring season. The number of birds found between mid-August to early November is more than double, peaking between early and mid-October. Spring migration happens between early March and mid-June.
Birds are descendants of dinosaurs. In fact, the only surviving dinosaurs on our planet. The oldest bird fossil dates back 150 million years. These ancient creatures are critical for our ecosystems from pollinating plants and distributing seeds to controlling pest populations. We have already loss a staggering 3 billion birds over the last 50 years. Glass collisions are a big part of the problem and will only be exacerbated as cities grow. Let’s work together to save our feathered friends.
Be a part of the solution by:
1.) Dimming lights nightly for migratory birds.
2.) Make windows safe-bird with these guidelines.
3.) Register for the Global Bird Rescue initiative.
