Bird Collisions

One of the major threats to our bird population is collisions with man-made structures, particularly buildings with large glass windows, which cause nearly 1 billion bird deaths annually in the United States.

Birds are unable to distinguish the reflections from glass and other reflective surfaces, causing them to perceive windows as the surrounding habitat. To prevent this issue, bird-friendly window coverings can be applied to help reduce bird mortality due to reflective surface collisions.

SCWF has joined with various partners and organizations in South Carolina to make buildings more bird-friendly. In 2022, SCWF worked with the Richland Library of Ballentine to implement the first commercial installation of CollidEscape, a bird-friendly window covering that prevents the library’s feathered visitors from crashing into the 70-square foot window overlooking the surrounding forest. The CollidEscape material is an external window vinyl that makes glass a visible barrier to birds, yet allows the view from inside to remain unobstructed. The latest installation is at the Tuskers restaurant at Riverbanks Zoo, which was a collaboration between SCWF and the Riverbanks Zoo and Garden. Read more about these projects below.

richland library

riverbanks zoo

Birds are also attracted to artificial light, which becomes a greater problem at night as the majority of migratory birds fly under the cover of darkness to avoid predators and utilize the moon and stars for navigation. When flying over large illuminated cities, birds become disoriented and get thrown off their migration paths, causing them to fly around until exhausted or even collide with buildings, communication towers, and other structures. The Lights Out Program is a national effort to reduce this problem by encouraging cities and residents to turn off their lights during spring and fall migration.

SCWF partners with the South Carolina Audubon Society on Lights Out South Carolina, a campaign dedicated to raising awareness about the problems that artificial lights pose for birds, and offering solutions to reduce these issues. Through taking collective action, we can help ensure that South Carolina skies provide safe passage.

Other ways to help birds, not only during migration, but all year long:

Plant native plants that provide food, cover, and nesting areas for birds and other wildlife
Reduce chemical use in your yard
Leave the leaves
Keep cats indoors
Pick up litter
Participate in citizen science efforts such as the Christmas Bird Count, NestWatch, Project FeederWatch, and the Great Backyard Bird Count

During spring and fall migrations, millions of birds have been reported flying over North America during a single night by BirdCast, which forecasts the intensity of overnight bird migration across the continental United States. On the night of October 4th, 2023, nearly 1,000 birds collided with a building known as McCormick Place in Chicago and were found dead the next morning. What makes this building so beautiful is also what makes it so deadly for birds – 120,000 square feet of glass that is the equivalent of two football fields. The most studied building in the world for bird window strikes has become the biggest bird strike avoidance project in the world after bird-safe film was applied to the windows to prevent collisions. Covering the windows with shades and turning off the lights at night are also other preventative measures that have drastically reduced bird mortality at McCormick Place, with just a handful of collisions since the film was installed in August of 2024. This project has raised awareness of the need to make buildings safer for birds and continues to inspire cities all across the country to participate.

One of the major threats to our bird population is collisions with man-made structures, particularly buildings with large glass windows, which cause nearly 1 billion bird deaths annually in the United States.

Birds are unable to distinguish the reflections from glass and other reflective surfaces, causing them to perceive windows as the surrounding habitat. To prevent this issue, bird-friendly window coverings can be applied to help reduce bird mortality due to reflective surface collisions.

Additional resources about bird collisions, bird-friendly window coverings, and Lights Out

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