BirdSafe Maine

BirdSafe Maine is a statewide collaboration to raise awareness about the bird-window collision problem and encourage adoption of available solutions, through research, policy, design solutions, and education.

For more information, contact Advocacy and Outreach Manager Nick Lund.

We want to know where birds are striking windows anywhere in Maine. If you find a dead or stunned bird at your home or near a building, let us know.

IF YOU FIND A WINDOW STRIKE VICTIM IN MAINE, AT ANY TIME OF YEAR, PLEASE SEND:

Date, Address, Photographs to BIRDSTRIKE@MAINEAUDUBON.ORG.

If you find an injured bird contact Avian Haven or Center for Wildlife.

The Problem

Buildings are not a natural part of the environment, and humans have disguised buildings in a number of ways to make them more deceiving, and deadly, to birds. The result is that millions of North American birds are killed each year in building collisions, another danger added to the growing list of threats to bird populations worldwide. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service estimates that somewhere between 388 million and 988 million birds die from building collisions each year. Glass is the major culprit. Glass is both reflective — which tricks birds into thinking they’re flying into open sky or vegetation — and transparent — it appears invisible to a bird when lit from inside. All windows pose a threat, from those in the tallest skyscrapers to your kitchen window

The Solutions

Thankfully, there are solutions to this problem. BirdSafe Maine supported the passage of P.L. 2023 Chapter 221 (L.D. 670): An Act to Protect Birds and Wildlife in the Construction and Maintenance of Public Buildings, which required the State’s Bureau of General Services to develop a set of guidelines for integrating bird safe principles into public buildings.

Architectural Guidelines

Guideline 1: Reasonable actions count toward making buildings bird safe.

A bird-safe building is one that takes reasonable available actions to reduce the threat to birds.

Guideline 2: Bird safety should be considered during the design stage

The most important single piece of information for those considering constructing a bird-safe building is to consider bird safety as early as possible in the planning and design process.

Guideline 3: Minimizing the amount of glass is the cheapest way to improve the safety of a building.

The amount of glass on a façade is the biggest predictor of bird collisions. Therefore, reducing the amount of glass is the best way to make a building safe for birds.

Guideline 4: Lower floors are the most dangerous to birds.

The vast majority of bird strikes occur on the first and second floors of buildings. Minimizing glass or using other bird-safe strategies on these lower floors will have the most beneficial effect.

Guideline 5: Certain architectural features are especially dangerous and should be avoided.

The use of glass in certain architectural features can also pose a severe threat to birds, and should be avoided or mitigated. Dangerous features include glass railings, skywalks, corner windows, and glass entryways.

Guideline 6: Landscaping matters.

The presence of landscaping is complicated, especially because of the many recognized benefits of street trees and native vegetation. In all cases, addressing the reflectiveness of the glass is the best way to reduce the threat.

Guideline 7: Light pollution can attract birds unnecessarily.

Artificial light attracts birds, and brings them in closer proximity to glass. Reducing light pollution is the best way to avoid unnecessarily attracting birds.

Guideline 8: Glass treatments must be applied to the outside of the window.

A common reaction for those wanting to break up window reflections in order to reduce bird strike threats is to pull interior curtains or take other actions inside. However, to be effective, treatments must be applied to the outside surface of a window.

Guideline 9: There are many different solutions.

Anything that alerts a bird to the presence of glass is a solution, and new products and strategies are emerging from the marketplace.

Guideline 10: Existing buildings can be modified to reduce threats to birds.

It is easier to design and build a bird-safe building from the start, but there are lots of ways to work with an existing building to reduce the number of bird collisions.

Homeowners Guide

Birds are unable to recognize glass. Transparent or reflective glass often shows a continuation of habitat to birds, and in attempting to access that habitat, birds fly into glass. In order to prevent more collisions, the issues of transparency and reflectivity of glass must be addressed.

Do's and Don'ts

BIRD SAFE!

• External shades

• External screens

• External decals

• Decals spaced 2″ x 2″ apart

• Painted glass

• Deep awnings that completely shade glass

• Acopian Birdsavers

• Feeders either 3 feet or 30 feet away from glass

• Etched / fritted glass

• Channel glass

• Box glass

• UV glass

• Design with less glass

• Louvres

• Turning lights off WITH all the above

NOT BIRD SAFE

• Internal shades

• Internal screens

• Internal decals

• Solo decals / widely spaced decals

• Dark glass / Dark borders or frames

• Slightly recessed windows / ledges

• Flash tape

• Greenery near windows (inside & out)

• Lights off as only tactic

• Predator decoys or stickers

• Playing distress calls

Architects and Designers Guide

On June 17, 2024, the Portland City Council voted unanimously to approve a city-wide bird safe buildings ordinance. Find the ordinance here >

In 2023, Maine became just the fourth state to take statewide action on bird-safe architecture with the passage of LD 670, An Act to Protect Birds in the Construction, Renovation and Maintenance of Public Buildings. The new law will bring together stakeholders across Maine to develop guidelines for the bird safety in public buildings.

• Find the full guidelines here >
• Download a one-page Summary Guidelines here >

Get Involved!

Surveys

BirdSafe Maine coordinates surveys to look for dead or injured birds on the streets of Portland in spring and fall. Small groups of volunteers walk an approximately 2-mile route through the city in the early mornings. Currently, surveys run every morning during May in spring, and September and October in fall. Volunteers generally walk once a week, though schedules are flexible. If interested, please email Nick Lund at nlund@maineaudubon.org for more information.

Currently, surveys only exist for Portland, though please email if you’re interested in monitoring other towns, campuses, or buildings.

Other Volunteer Opportunities

BirdSafe Maine is guided by a Leadership Team of volunteers who meet regularly to discuss progress and plan for the future of the group. If you’re interested, please reach out to Nick Lund at nlund@maineaudubon.org. Additional opportunities may exist for bird-safe outreach, installation assistance, and more.