How to keep birds from flying into your windows
UC ornithologist says simple steps can prevent needless deaths of birds
Yahoo! News picked up an Indianapolis Star story examining ways to prevent birds from flying into windows at homes and businesses.
The Star talked to University of Cincinnati ornithologist Ronald Canterbury about simple ways to make windows more visible to birds that might otherwise be fooled by the reflection of a tree branch or bush.
UC College of Arts and Sciences ornithologist Ronald Canterbury studies bird mortality from window strikes in Cincinnati. Photo/Andrew Higley/UC Marketing + Brand
As many as 1 billion birds die each year in the United States after striking windows, according to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
“Silent spring is coming,” Canterbury said, referencing the famous Rachel Carson 1962 book that inspired the environmental movement of the 1970s. “The urgency is now.”
Canterbury and his students have been studying the problem of fatal bird strikes in Cincinnati. While the glass of skyscrapers can stretch hundreds of feet in the air, Canterbury said the problem area is closer to the ground — in the first couple floors of a building where glass reflects trees and bushes.
Glass walkways, particularly those around landscaped courtyards, can also be deadly traps for birds that are trying to reach the safety of cover, he said.
But there are many options:
- Adding glass films featuring a visible pattern of squares or circles to break up the reflections.
- Tempura or poster paint can provide a temporary solution, particularly during spring and fall migration.
- Parachute cords placed in a pattern on the exterior of windows can create a visual barrier.
- Custom etched or frosted glass can provide a permanent solution.
“Basically, anything that disrupts the reflection of trees in the windows will work,” Canterbury said.
Read the Indianapolis Star story on Yahoo! News.
Featured image at top: Yahoo! News shared tips from UC ornithologist Ronald Canterbury on ways to prevent birds from striking your windows. Photo/Francesca Leslie
UC ornithologist Ronald Canterbury is raising awareness about ways to prevent fatal bird strikes in windows. He says there are simple ways to keep birds safe. Photo/Andrew Higley/UC Marketing + Brand
Related Stories
Putting preschool into perspective
July 20, 2026
Preschool and childcare can be difficult to navigate for parents, as Spectrum News 1 Ohio recently reported. Waitlists are long, and factors like cost, location and transportation can limit options. According to a recent study published by The Annie E. Casey Foundation, only 41% of 3- to 4-year-olds in Ohio were enrolled in preschool between 2020 and 2024 — a 4% decrease from pre-pandemic numbers. For University of Cincinnati early childhood education faculty member Chad Nunamaker, that statistic has caveats.
Engineering magnets for a cleaner future
July 20, 2026
The United States is heavily reliant on imported rare-earth materials to make permanent magnets. Ugochukwu Philip Ochieze, materials science student at the University of Cincinnati, is studying how to use common materials to create permanent magnets, eliminating the need for expensive and scarce rare-earth materials. Pursuing his PhD, Ochieze was named Graduate Student Engineer of the Month by the College of Engineering and Applied Science.
Ticks that survive pesticides can withstand colder winters
July 17, 2026
Ticks that survive less-than-lethal doses of pesticide are able to withstand dangerous cold, which could help them expand their range farther north, according to researchers at the University of Cincinnati and the U.S. Department of Agriculture.