It’s been estimated that up to 988 million birds die in the US every year as a result of colliding with windows.
It’s been estimated that up to 988 million birds die in the US every year as a result of colliding with windows.
That’s about 10 percent of the total bird population in the country.
Tall buildings certainly contribute to the loss, but not very much.
Only 1 percent the deaths result from impact with a skyscraper.
A whopping 56 percent, however, occur after run-ins with structures that rise between 4 and 11 stories.
The remainder of the fatalities is attributed to the windows in smaller buildings.
Experts hypothesize that some birds are more vulnerable to the glass than others.
It’s guessed that they become disoriented by the artificial lighting, especially when flying great distances at night.
That group includes some varieties of hummingbirds and warblers.
Those who assembled the data admit that they’re working with figures that are pretty difficult to verify.
To get their numbers, they used 23 small local studies and then extrapolated them out, which one ecologist called “imperfect science”.
What they do say with confidence, however, is that when it comes to other much publicized dangers to birds like wind turbines and vehicles, they don’t even come close to windows.
