Our advocacy committee is thrilled to share a positive step forward for birds, bats, and other wildlife in our community: the City of Austin has discontinued the use of glue traps in all city-owned buildings!
This humane decision follows the October 2024 recommendation made by Austin’s Animal Advisory Commission and supported by the Travis Audubon Advocacy Committee, Austin Bat Refuge, and other community members, including Travis Audubon members who voiced your support.
This change comes in response to growing awareness about glue traps, including their impact on non-target species. These boards, coated with a sticky adhesive, are typically used to catch rats and mice – but they can ensnare any small animal that walks across or lands on them, including birds. Trapped and panicked, animals often suffer prolonged and painful deaths, injuring themselves in desperate attempts to escape.
The Wildlife Center of Virginia maintains the WILD-One database, which has documented 179 species of wildlife caught on glue traps, including approximately 100 species of wild birds which are protected from being killed by the Migratory Bird Act. On social media, Texas wildlife rehabilitators and the Austin Animal Center have shared moving images of birds ensnared in glue traps and have urged the public to choose humane options instead.
Glue traps are also advised against by the CDC, as the animals who become stuck produce urine and feces that may transmit disease. The Murmurations blog recently featured a post explaining the serious harm glue traps can inflict on birds.
This decision underscores Austin’s commitment to being a Bird City and a leader for wild birds. By ending the use of glue traps in city buildings, Austin has taken a step forward in more humane and environmentally responsible pest management.
We are deeply grateful to the city staff, elected officials, Animal Advisory Commission members, and concerned residents who made this progress possible. Special thanks to Animal Advisory Commission members Whitney Holt and Vice Chair Ann Linder for their work on this important issue.
Want to help us achieve our next win? Join the Travis Audubon Advocacy Committee to make your voice heard for wild birds. Contact Maura Powers <maura.powers2007@gmail.com> for more information.
Photo credit: Dave Read
