Bird-safe glass is the only way forward
Emily Richter. 04/03/2021
Birds do not understand windows. Though humans know there is a pane of glass, birds see a reflection of their surroundings or an inviting habitat, like an empty room. As a result, the American Bird Conservatory (ABC) reports that about one billion birds die every year due to glass collisions, making them a leading cause of avian death. For most animals, humanity’s worst threat comes in the form of habitat loss. For birds, the very buildings people inhabit can be deadly.
Birds light up the skies with their beautiful feathers and enhance the sounds of the city and country alike with their beautiful songs. Birds also play important roles in maintaining the balance of the ecosystems humans depend on. Some birds, like hummingbirds, act as pollinators, fostering life in the form of plants. Others, like vultures, scavenge the remains of life, returning necessary nutrients to the soil. Still others, like orioles, spread the seeds of plants far and wide, ensuring the continued success of the natural world. Nature needs birds to function properly. Since humanity depends on the world’s ecosystems for everything from food to oxygen, humans need birds. Anything that hurts birds eventually hurts people as well.
A new technology promises hope for the feathered friends of the sky. Bird-safe incorporates materials birds can see into the design of the glass in order to prevent birds from flying into it. The National Audubon Society reports that bird-safe glass is a blanket term, applying to both specially-designed glass and retrofitted glass. Bird-safe glass can be colored, like the glass at the Public Health Office in Palma de Mallorca, Spain (shown above), or it can be virtually transparent, utilizing small dots or lines as a way to alert birds of its presence. The process of retrofitting glass to make it safe for birds often involves adding lines or dots to the surface of the glass. Bird-safe glass and retrofitting buildings can be costly, but in the long run, it can also be beneficial. The ABC reports the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center near Times Square in Manhattan used to be notorious for the number of bird collisions it caused. However, when bird-safe glass was installed, both bird collisions and heat loss declined. The building went from being an ecological issue to being a model for bird safety and energy efficiency. Bird-safe glass does not only benefit birds; it can benefit its owners as well.
Codes and ordinances that require new edifices to be built with bird-safe glass are beginning to become common in the United States. New York City, which sees the most yearly bird deaths due to glass collisions, passed a law in 2020 mandating that all new structures meet certain standards of bird safety. A majority of these standards involve glass design. The grassroots organization Bird Friendly Chicago worked for years to introduce bird-safe glass laws to the third most populous city in the United States. They found success in 2019, when a bird-safe glass ordinance was introduced to the Chicago City Council, and again in 2020 when the city council updated Chicago’s Sustainable Development Policy to include information regarding bird-safe glass and its importance. In August of 2020, the city council of Madison, Wisconsin passed an ordinance requiring bird-safe glass on all new large construction projects. The efforts of committed advocates and the support of the ABC lead to a new rule promising safer skies for Wisconsin’s faster-growing city.
Unfortunately, an organization in Madison has taken the city to court, saying that the new ordinance is unconstitutional. Building codes are updated often, and many new construction ordinances are introduced every year, so the chance of the law being nullified is low. However, the general public’s poor understanding of the importance and benefits of bird-safe glass still remains a threat to protective legislation. Many people who are against laws requiring the specialized glass point at the price, which is often elevated, as reasoning for their opinion. However, like in the case of the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center, bird-safe glass often leads to lower heating and cooling bills. And either way, the loss of bird life comes with a much higher price tag, both in economic and ecological terms.
Not only do birds collide with the windows of large buildings, but they also collide with the windows of ordinary houses. In most areas, glass retrofitting services are not available for homeowners. Luckily, there is a simple solution. Putting stickers, curtains, sheets, or posters can help birds avoid flying into the glass. Protecting birds from glass can provide practical benefits as well! Stickers and posters can be great decorations for a living space, and putting fabric in windows often helps keep a room cooler.
Many organizations of all sizes are fighting for a safer future for birds. Local organizations all over the world have had success encouraging the passing of legislation that mandates bird-safe glass in certain construction projects. National organizations like the ABC and Audubon support these grassroots movements and push for federal legislation. By passing laws that make buildings safer for birds with the help of organizations like these, humanity can move forward in a responsible and more sustainable manner.
Cover Photo: (Arenal Observatory Lodge / American Bird Conservatory)
