According to the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, more than 1 billion birds collide with glass in the U.S. alone every year. A researcher and ornithologist from the University of Mississippi is working to lower that number with a new window type.
Bird-Friendly Windows
Jason Hoeksema, a professor of biology, conducted several surveys of the number of birds that have flown into windows across the university’s campus. Students from Hoeksema surveyed 11 buildings daily over a five-week period in the spring semester and found 69 dead birds.
“The problem with most windows is that they reflect,” Hoeksema said. “They act as mirrors. They reflect habitat, they reflect trees, they reflect the sky, and birds fly full speed right into them.”
According to the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, collisions are most common during the spring and fall migrations.
Modern windows are often large to allow more natural lighting, says Phys.org. However, that has unintentionally increased the number of birds flying into windows.
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Hoeksema’s solution is fritted glass, with small dots integrated into the panes at regular intervals. A similar solution would be covering existing windows with dot decals. This helps birds recognize a window as a solid surface and repel 90% of birds flying towards it.
An initial survey was conducted in 2020 with the School of Law. The students found a particularly dangerous spot on campus because of the large windows. Law school leaders collaborated with school maintenance to install a dotted window. The students found no dead birds around that window during the spring survey.
Chad Hunter, a university architect, says that the university hopes to address the global phenomenon with its innovative window.
“As we plan for the future of our campus, we’re increasingly mindful of how design choices affect the environment,” Hunter said. “The use of fritted or patterned glass is one of several approaches we’re exploring to help reduce bird collisions while preserving daylight, visibility and energy efficiency.”
Hoeksema said that the problem isn’t only with academic buildings. It also extends to commercial and residential buildings.
“My own house; we’ve had tragic bird mortality on some of our windows,” Hoeksema said. “There are products you can buy that aren’t too expensive—dot patterns, line patterns, or external screens—that can make a big difference.”
