Bird Strike Project
"U" can help save birds!
Saving Birds at the U?
FCS Professor Barbara Brown, with the help of student research assistants, found that mirrored windows and fruiting pear trees near campus buildings were luring birds to their death. Birds act as though mirrored or reflective surfaces are not there. During winter, Cedar Waxwings feeding on the pear trees fly into windows on the buildings surrounding President's Circle and die.
Through a grant provided by the Sustainable Campus Initiative Fund Feather Friendly® window protection was installed on part of the mirrored windows. Bird strikes were reduced by 71% the following winter!
Start your own Bird-Strike Study
Professor Barbara Brown and team have created a step-by-step manual on how to conduct your own bird-strike study.
BIRD‐WINDOW COLLISION STUDY MANUAL PDF(Be sure to also view appendix 1 xls and appendix 2 PDF)
Contact Professor Barbara Brown for additional information.
Follow the research
iNaturalist
Bird strikes are documented on iNaturalist. See where bird strikes are happening on campus and add observations. Check out the bird strike project data.
PeerJ
Bird-window collisions: different fall and winter risk and protective factors Article
Winter bird-window collisions: mitigation success, risk factors and implementation changes Article