Reflective college windows adorned with Acopian BirdSavers—Photo: Barbara Blackie

 Bird Collision Solutions for Your Business

Commercial Glass is Particularly Hazardous for Birds

The architectural features that make modern commercial buildings attractive for businesses make them deadly for birds. Floor-to-ceiling windows, use of reflective glass, and glass walkways create the perfect conditions for bird strikes.

In commercial buildings, the extensive use of mirrored or tinted glass which make vivid reflections of sky and vegetation, causes birds to interpret those as safe flight corridors. Glass walkways between buildings create “tunnel effects” where birds attempt to fly through what appears to them to be open space.

Landscaped courtyards surrounded by glass walls become attractive habitat areas that birds can enter but struggle to escape safely. The prevalence of night lighting in commercial buildings also disrupts nocturnal migrants, drawing them into dangerous collision zones. 

A “Bird Friendly Building Design” pamphlet by The American Bird Conservancy, assists developers, architects, building owners, regulators and anyone else looking for detailed information on the collisions issue and designing structures to minimize bird deaths. You can download a free pdf.

Designers and architects who are aware of bird-window collision hazards, can use creative techniques and materials to reduce or eliminate collisions. These choices are best incorporated into the original design of a building. (Example below:)

Smart landscaping around commercial buildings can significantly reduce bird strikes. Removing or relocating vegetation that reflect in nearby glass and carefully planting trees and bushes so that they don’t channel birds toward glass surfaces, can help create a safer area for both resident and migrant bird populations. 

Commercial property managers are increasingly implementing bird-strike reduction programs centered around “Lights Out” initiatives. These are coordinated efforts to reduce artificial lighting during peak migration periods (March 1-June 15th and August 15-November 30th). These programs represent one of the most effective strategies for protecting migrating birds plus offer savings in the cost of electricity.

Retrofitting windows in an existing building is becoming easier with today’s products (see below).

Products Available for Retrofit:

Audubon encourages every community to take actions that benefit both birds and people.