Register      Login
Wildlife Research Wildlife Research Society
Ecology, management and conservation in natural and modified habitats
RESEARCH ARTICLE

Factors influencing the annual risk of bird–window collisions at residential structures in Alberta, Canada

Erin M. Bayne A B , Corey A. Scobie A and Michael Rawson-Clark A
+ Author Affiliations
- Author Affiliations

A Department of Biological Sciences, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB T6G 2E9, Canada.

B Corresponding author. Email: bayne@ualberta.ca

Wildlife Research 39(7) 583-592 https://doi.org/10.1071/WR11179
Submitted: 26 October 2011  Accepted: 23 July 2012   Published: 4 September 2012

Abstract

Context: Increasingly, ornithologists are being asked to identify major sources of avian mortality so as to identify conservation priorities.

Aims: Considerable evidence suggests that windows of office towers are a lethal hazard for migrating birds. The factors influencing the risk of bird–window collisions in residential settings are not understood as well.

Methods: Citizen scientists were requested to participate in an online survey that asked about characteristics concerning their homes and yards, general demographic information about participants, and whether they had observed evidence of bird–window collisions at their home.

Key results: We found that 39.0% of 1458 participants observed a bird–window collision in the previous year. The mean number of reported collisions was 1.7 ± 4.6 per residence per year, with 38% of collisions resulting in a mortality.

Conclusions: Collisions were not random, with the highest collision and mortality rates at rural residences, with bird feeders > rural residences without feeders > urban residences with feeders > urban residences without feeders > apartments. At urban houses, the age of neighbourhood was a significant predictor of collision rates, with newer neighbourhoods reporting fewer collisions than older neighbourhoods. Most people remembered collisions occurring in the summer months.

Implications: Our results are consistent with past research, suggesting that window collisions with residential homes are an important source of mortality for birds. However, we found large variation in the frequency of collisions at different types of residences. Proper stratification of residence type is crucial to getting accurate estimates of bird–window collisions when scaling local data into larger-scale mortality estimates.


References

Arnold, T. W., and Zink, R. M. (2011). Collision mortality has no discernible effect on population trends of North American birds. PLoS ONE 6, e24708.
Collision mortality has no discernible effect on population trends of North American birds.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 1:CAS:528:DC%2BC3MXht1Gju7nP&md5=f2d278c8c1f4319849d8538f56f10750CAS |

Banks, R. C. (1979). Human related mortality of birds in the United States. Special scientific report no. 215. US Fish Wildlife Service, Washington, DC.

Best, J. (2001). Damned lies and statistics: untangling numbers from the media, politicians, and activists. University of California Press, Berkley, CA.

Best, J. (2008). Bird-dead and deadly: why numeracy needs to address social construction. Numeracy 1, 1–14.
Bird-dead and deadly: why numeracy needs to address social construction.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Brittingham, M. C., and Temple, S. A. (1992). Does winter bird feeding promote dependency? Journal of Field Ornithology 63, 190–194.

Calgary Land Use Planning & Policy (2011). Bird-friendly urban design guidelines. City Of Calgary, Records & Information and Management, Development & Building Approvals, Calgary, Alberta. Available at www.calgary.ca/docgallery/bu/planning/pdf/urban_design_guidelines/ bird_friendly_design_guidelines.pdf [verified 28 June 2011].

Dillman, D. A. (2007). ‘Mail and Internet Surveys: The Tailored Design Method.’ 2nd edn. (John-Wiley & Sons: New York.)

Duke, D., Quinn, M., Butts, B., Lee-Ndugga, T., and Wilkie, K. (2003). Spatial analysis of rural residential expansion in southwestern Alberta. Mistakis Institute for Rockies. Available at www.rockies.ca/downloads/SW%20Alberta%20Footprint.pdf [verified 28 June 2011].

Dunn, E. H. (1993). Bird mortality from striking residental windows in winter. Journal of Field Ornithology 64, 302–309.

Fatal Light Awareness Program (2011). Available at www.flap.org/flap_home.htm [verified 28 June 2011].

Klem, D. (1989). Bird–window collisions. The Wilson Bulletin 101, 606–620.

Klem, D. (1990a). Collisions between birds and windows: mortality and prevention. Journal of Field Ornithology 61, 120–128.

Klem, D. (1990b). Bird injuries, cause of death, and recuperation from collisions with windows. Journal of Field Ornithology 61, 115–119.

Klem, D., Jr (2009). Avian mortality at windows: the second largest human source of bird mortality on earth. In ‘Tundra to Tropics: Connecting Birds, Habitats and People. Proceedings of the 4th International Partners in Flight Conference’. (Eds T.D. Rich, C. Carizmendi, D. W. Demarest and C. Thompson.) pp. 244–251. (Partners in Flight: McAllen, TX.)

Klem, D., Farmer, C. J., Delacretaz, N., Gelb, Y., and Saenger, P. G. (2009). Architectural and landscape risk factors associated with bird-glass collisions in an urban environment. Wilson Journal of Ornithology 121, 126–134.
Architectural and landscape risk factors associated with bird-glass collisions in an urban environment.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Luck, G. W., Smallbone, L. T., and O’Brien, R. (2009). Socio-economics and vegetation change in urban ecosystems: patterns in space and time. Ecosystems 12, 604–620.
Socio-economics and vegetation change in urban ecosystems: patterns in space and time.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Ponce, C., Alonso, J. C., Argandona, G., Garcia-Fernandez, A., and Carrasco, M. (2010). Carcass removal by scavengers and search accuracy affect bird mortality estimates at power lines. Animal Conservation 13, 603–612.
Carcass removal by scavengers and search accuracy affect bird mortality estimates at power lines.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Project Prevent Collision (2011). Available at http://faculty.millikin.edu/~dhorn/index.html [verified 28 June 2011].

Stevens, B. S., Reese, K. P., and Connelly, J. W. (2011). Survival and detectability bias of avian fence collision surveys in sagebrush steppe. The Journal of Wildlife Management 75, 437–449.
Survival and detectability bias of avian fence collision surveys in sagebrush steppe.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Toms, J. D., and Lesperance, M. L. (2003). Piecewise regression: a tool for identifying ecological thresholds. Ecology 84, 2034–2041.
Piecewise regression: a tool for identifying ecological thresholds.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |