Expert Says Glass Is Major Threat to Birds

dlkf writes "According this AP article, 'Glass is ubiquitous and it's indiscriminate, killing the fit and the unfit... estimates (are) that collisions with glass kill up to 1 billion birds a year in the United States alone.' First wind turbines and now glass. What will they come up with next..."

Birds and windows

[moorhens]

First, a billion birds sounds like an over-estimate, but even if it isn't it probably won't make any serious difference to any bird populations. Every year, most birds die, which is why they need to raise lots of young to keep going at all. Previous studies of birds vs windows, birds vs traffic, birds vs cats generally show that those that die are effectively part of the natural surplus rather than this being new deaths. Not much comfort for the individual bird, but hey.

Secondly, most birds that conservationists (and yes, we are as scientific and geeky as the average /. er) are really worried about don't live in built-up areas so the impact with glass is likely to be less of a problem.

Thirdly, window stickers (especially those shaped like a hawk) can sharply reduce the level of impacts especially against windows that look like a fly-through to somewhere else.

And finally, when you find a bird that hit a window, someone will say it's broken its neck. Not so. Birds' necks are much longer and more flexible than most people realise until they see a lolling corpse. The commonest cause of death against a window is brain haemorrage.

Owls... lots of owls.

[Anonymous Coward]

Here in Austria we have the shadows of predator birds on most glass stuff that the goverment puts up.

Same here in America - at least in Florida and New Jersey. When I'm in states I don't live in, my eyes are on other issues so I woudn't recall seeing fake predator birds there. Owls.. lots of owls. Usually life size, life colored, realistically placed.

Re:No kidding

[Captain Splendid]

That's my point. Encounters like that range from the embarrasing all the way up to 'scarred for life with impaired mobility'.

Thankfully, a low-tech solution is available - just put a damn sticker on the glass on or about average eye level. Works every time.

Re:Birds and windows

[jackbird]

Secondly, most birds that conservationists (and yes, we are as scientific and geeky as the average /. er) are really worried about don't live in built-up areas so the impact with glass is likely to be less of a problem.

True, but they migrate through them. The major cities of the Eastern US are on a huge flyway, for example, which is one reason there's a National Wildlife Refuge inside the New York City limits.