Background

More than 1 billion birds die after colliding with windows each year in the United States. Many injured birds don’t survive — and even those who manage to fly off may later die from the impacts of the collision.

Large glass buildings are especially dangerous, but because homes and low-rise buildings are so common, they also account for a significant share of these collisions.

The good news is that there are ways we can make our windows safer for birds, including:

• Moving bird feeders at least 30 feet away from windowpanes.
• Placing objects on window glass (such as decals or stickers) to help birds see the windows. This will prevent them from thinking they can fly right through.

Instructions

• If a bird has hit your window and is injured, we suggest you bring the bird to Project Wildlife immediately.
• If the bird doesn’t have visible injuries, but does not seem fully alert, place the bird in a box (such as a shoebox) lined with tissue with a lid, then:
  • Do not feed the bird.
  • Bring them to Project Wildlife as soon as possible.

Need step by step guidance to help you determine whether an animal needs intervention? Use our Wildlife Help Hub at sdhumane.org/wildlifehelp.