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The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service maintains that plate glass kills between 100 million and 1 billion birds every year, making it the top human-associated factor in bird deaths today. Both private homes and high-rise buildings play key roles in this growing problem.
Daylight Hazard
According to the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, birds flying in daylight hours mistake the reflection of sky or landscape for reality, and fly straight into it.
Night Hazard
At night, bright artificial lighting from high-rise buildings disorients migrating species that rely on stars to navigate.
Nesting Season
A lesser hazard occurs during nesting season when, according to the Massachusetts Audubon Society, male birds mistake their own reflection for a rival, and attack it.
Survival Rates
Some birds survive their encounter with plate glass, falling stunned to the ground and recovering within minutes. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service reports that half of all window strikes results in death.
Prevention
Bird advocacy groups recommend making glass visible to birds with window stickers, ribbons and wind chimes, non-reflective surfaces, interior blinds or exterior netting. Dimming light at night helps migrating birds.
Source:
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service: The Danger of Plate Glass
Cornell Lab of Ornithology: Keeping Birds Safe Around Windows
Massachusetts Audubon Society: Birds Attacking Windows
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