A bird collision catastrophe in Galveston made national news recently when 346 migratory birds struck a 23-story building in one night. In the wake of this tragedy, many are wondering what can be done to protect our migratory birds.

You can take action to help prevent bird collisions! Here are ways you can contribute to avian conservation:

1. Keep shutters and blinds closed at night and choose Dark Sky Approved lamp styles when replacing outdoor lighting. Light pollution disorients migrating birds and leads to collisions!

2. Encourage your place of employment to switch off lights at night during migration. This also saves energy!

3. Place bird feeders in the safe zone: less than 3 feet OR more than 30 feet away from windows.

4. Install bird-friendly glass windows (e.g. UV reflective, frosted, or filmed glass) or window netting. You can also place decals or strips of tape on your windows. American Bird Conservancy has compiled a list of recommended products.

Travis Audubon piloted a Bird Building Collision Study this year seeking to record data on bird-building collisions in Austin while building community and raising awareness about avian conservation. To learn more about our study and how to contribute data, visit our Bird Collisions page here.

 
Photo courtesy of Houston Audubon Society