Window Collisions
Most of us have heard that dreaded thump of a chook hitting our window. Through the peak of fall migration in North America, an estimated 4 billion birds should navigate via cities, neighbourhoods, and different constructed environments as they head again south for the winter. With city centres increasing, and the usage of glass on buildings, railings, bus shelters and walkways changing into extra widespread, birds will proceed dying at an alarming charge if we don’t velocity up our response to those collisions. A latest 2024 research discovered that over 1 billion birds succumb to accidents attributable to bird-window collisions. Collectively, we may help change this and be certain that our feathered-friends arrive at their wintering grounds safely by taking part in International Chook Rescue, both as a person or with a crew.
A reside Yellow Warbler within the hand, rescued after colliding with a window in downtown Toronto (Photograph: Yuki – Save Birds Toronto)
Be a part of us for International Chook Rescue: September twenty third – twenty ninth, 2024
International Chook Rescue, September 23-29, 2024, is an annual occasion held by FLAP Canada in partnership with Nature Canada, that encourages everybody to seek for and rescue birds injured from collisions with glass. Anybody can take part and make an affect! International Chook Rescue Groups and people from all over the world take to the streets to seek for and rescue injured birds, whereas recording window collisions on the International Chook Collision Mapper. The info collected throughout this occasion, and all 12 months spherical, conjures up dwelling and office bird-safe retrofits throughout the globe. The occasion is graciously sponsored by Feather Pleasant® and Niagara Motion for Animals.
The International Chook Collision Mapper
Each chook reported onto the International Chook Collision Mapper throughout International Chook Rescue (and the remainder of the 12 months!) helps us additional perceive the bird-building collision concern and push for bird-safe retrofits on harmful buildings.
The International Chook Collision Mapper (birdmapper.org) permits a registered person to report the species, location, time and standing of the chook they recuperate, anyplace on the planet. This neighborhood science device exhibits each collision on its interactive GIS map, offering invaluable knowledge.
Different methods to assist throughout International Chook Rescue
Make your home windows bird-safe
Do you know the vast majority of chook collisions occur at low story buildings like properties and cottages? Make your home windows bird-safe by following these window marker pointers to be sure you don’t have any collisions at dwelling this fall. There are merchandise out there like Feather Pleasant ® DIY Tape, Acopian BirdSavers, and even DIY choices like tempera paint, tape, and even cleaning soap. Each window we make bird-safe is a large step in direction of defending birds.
Chook-safe laws and retrofits
Pushing for bird-safe laws will be certain that we proceed to guard birds. Attain out to your native member of provincial parliament, Metropolis Councillors, and allow them to know concerning the concern, and that you desire to them to assist bird-safe laws. Encouraging retrofits on business buildings with recognized window collisions is one other improbable manner to assist. Have you ever witnessed chook collisions at your office? Attempt reaching out to the constructing supervisor to allow them to know that retrofitting the constructing will save numerous birds’ lives.
Flip lights off at evening
As birds migrate at evening, they use the celebrities to information them. Brilliant lights from city centres can draw birds off beam. As soon as in these city areas, they danger colliding with glass. Do you might have outdoors pot lights? Do your neighbours? Attempt turning these pointless out of doors lights off throughout migration in spring and fall, to assist birds by-pass harmful cities.
Dim the lights for birds at evening! Indoor and out of doors lights at evening can draw birds into city centres. Through the day, birds collide with glass making an attempt to achieve mirrored habitat.
Report Buildings with Nature Canada & FLAP Canada’s Chook-Pleasant Constructing Survey
Assist us gather data on buildings and their efforts to be bird-friendly. The Chook-Pleasant Constructing Survey provides a strategy to monitor bird-friendly buildings throughout the globe by showcasing their designs! This survey additionally acts as a database for figuring out downside buildings the place quite a few birds are recognized to collide. Relating to decreasing collisions, the last word objective is to have buildings handle the difficulty of collisions by treating their home windows and glass facades with efficient visible markers.
You can also make a distinction!
Each single particular person may help defend birds from deadly collisions with glass. Collaborating in International Chook Rescue and serving to injured birds, making your private home home windows bird-safe, pushing for bird-safe laws, telling your pals, neighbours, co-workers and household concerning the concern, are all nice methods to make a distinction. Yearly FLAP Canada picks up 1000’s of birds. Collectively, we are able to scale back these numbers and save chook lives.
Register now to take part and take a look at our webinar with Nature Canada to be taught extra!
