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What is the number one killer of birds in this country? Is it hunters? Or perhaps cats?Well, actually it’s neither.
It’s estimated that hunters kill roughly 15 million waterfowl a year. Hunting season is carefully managed and it is only legal to kill game birds in season.
Cars may kill 60 million birds annually.
Collisions with high-tension lines may kill up to 174 million birds per year. And it’s estimated that domestic and feral cats may kill as many as 500 million birds per year.
BUT, the number one killer of birds is the seemingly benign panes of glass we all have in our homes and office buildings. Yes, glass. It’s estimated that window strikes perhaps kill as many as 976 million birds a year. That’s almost one billion!
A bird doesn’t see the glass but rather the reflection of the sky. It flies into an illusion (I think many of us are guilty of that) but for a bird, it often breaks its neck.
What can you do? Place decals, tape strips of ribbon, dark paper hawk silhouettes or some other object on the surface to let a bird know that there is something more there than meets the eye.
The above photo is of an indigo bunting that flew into a window and paid for the mistake with its life. Holding and seeing the deep blue bird up close made its death all the more tragic.
Do you have a problematic window? If you would like a couple of hawk silhouettes to tape to the glass, send me a S.A.S.E. (business size) to 2915 Island home Avenue, Knoxville, TN 37920.
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4 comments:
That's surprising to me!! But I guess it shouldn't be, because one year we have several birds fly into our window. I think only one of them paid with his life. The others I held in my hand until they got their wits back and flew away.
I am very surprised that power lines are the top culprit! That Grey Hawk that flew into my sliding glass door did so when the iron gate was standing open, and I have it closed and locked most of the time....I bought a screen to put over the door when it's open in the spring and fall and of course it will be up all year because it has a magnetized closure that you walk through. So, I don't think I will have to worry ever again. There are iron bars on all my windows and doors. You might think I'd feel like a prisoner in my own house, but it actually helps me feel really safe! I'm so glad you posted this for people who don't have anything on their glass panes. The bird's picture is just so sad! I know it was upsetting to see it die!
I forgot to mention, I have the "review" of your book on my sidebar now...you might want to check it out!
I always get so sad when I see that happen
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