Bird deaths from building strikes may be double past estimates
After surviving building collisions, around 60 per cent of birds die in rehabilitation care
Jeffrey Ji/Shutterstock
More than 1 billion birds in the US may die from colliding with buildings each year – a significant increase from many past estimates. Despite popular belief, skyscrapers aren’t the main culprit.
The disorienting and appealing light from buildings at night, along with confusing reflections from glass during the day, can cause birds to fly into them. Most collisions occur with low-rise buildings like homes, and the problem has worsened in recent decades with increasing light pollution.
