bird-windowFlight is a magnificent means of transportation, but not without its dangers—especially for birds. For many birds, a journey across the skies ends with a deadly collision with windows, vehicles, cell towers or high-tension wires.

If you’ve been startled by the dull thud of a bird smacking your window, you’re not alone. Bird collisions with windows occur day and night, in all seasons, and in cities, suburbs and rural areas. Birds don’t see the glass, generally because it mirrors trees, shrubs, or sky, so the transparent panes appear to offer a passageway through a building.

It’s surprising how common this problem is. The National Fish and Wildlife Foundation and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service estimate that billions of birds die from aerial collisions each year in the U.S. And a lot of them, it seems, are colliding with our windows. Replacing glass or just cleaning it after a bird crash is a maintenance issue for the association.

Fortunately, some simple solutions can help protect our windows and the birds.