What are Bird Window Strikes?

Collision with windows is a major threat to bird populations. Birds cannot see glass, and are often confused by reflections of trees and lights. Indoor lighting seen through windows at night can be particularly disorienting for migrating birds. All these factors can lead to birds colliding with windows, which is usually fatal.

Bird window strikes are particularly likely to occur at buildings near large natural areas, such as the McMaster University campus. McMaster has begun to take action to reduce the threat of bird window collisions on campus by adding bird strike film (which helps birds recognize windows as obstacles) to the north side and stairwells of Les Prince Hall and the catwalks between Michael DeGroote Centre for Learning and Discovery (MDCL) and the Life Sciences Building. However, many buildings on campus do not have adequate measures in place to reduce bird window collisions.

Fortunately, there are a number of cost-effective strategies to reduce bird collisions that can be implemented on small, medium, and large scales to protect our migratory birds. Read on to learn about ways to get involved as individuals, community organizations, campus groups, and businesses!