Wild animal defence charity Aspas asks Connexion readers to help stop birds being killed or injured
WITH our TV screens full of pictures of dead and dying birds from the recent BP oil rig disaster, you may not know that far more birds die from colliding with glass surfaces than die in the worst of these oil spills.
However, there is one big difference: these deaths happen every day.
Fatal collisions with windows is one of the biggest bird protection issues in our urbanised world.
We estimate that, in France alone, hundreds of millions of birds die in this way each year. If you look closely you can see on numerous buildings traces of accidents that, most of the time, go unnoticed. The bodies of the victims are rarely left lying for long, because they are quickly carried away by foxes, beech martens or cats or other feral animals.
Windows are not the only problem; birds also collide with, for example, transparent surfaces such as are found on some anti-noise barriers.
The problem is that trees and the sky are reflected in plain glass surfaces, giving an illusion of a natural environment. The bird flies towards what it sees as bushes and straight into a window. Birds can easily avoid most obstacles that they come across, but they cannot see a window.
Now, in an attempt to limit unnecessary dangers to birds, Aspas has launched a campaign in partnership with the Swiss ornithological station, called “Glass: a trap for birds”.
We want to promote ways in which both building professionals and private individuals can take steps to help protect birds.
For example, one of the best ways for individuals to help is by sticking bird silhouettes on the outside of windows. Silhouettes are especially effective if they are of birds of prey, because this scares small birds away. You can buy different types of silhouette from Aspas.
It is also possible to buy vertical lines to stick on surfaces. Anything else that draws attention to windows, such as blinds or any kind of decoration, can also help.
If you have bird tables, feeders and boxes, either keep them well away from windows or, if this is difficult, put them very close to the windows (no more than a metre away).
That way, the birds will see that the window is an obstacle and, being attracted by the food, they will fly in slowly, landing beside the food. Any risks of them colliding with the window will be much reduced.
Aspas has a series of leaflets in English and French that you can download free that contain many ideas of what you can do. Go to this site for more details: http://tinyurl.com/birdcollisions
If you want to do something quickly while looking for a more permanent solution, you can close curtains or blinds, as this gives a more solid impression. The normal dark background in a room increases the problem of reflections.
Building professionals can also consider using techniques such as screen-printed, opaque, sanded or coloured glass on their buildings to make them stand out more.
A detailed guide for professionals, which is also of interest to individuals, is available, priced €5. This shows that construction methods that respect birds do not have to be costly, unattractive or impractical.
You can get the leaflet and guide by post from Aspas, BP 505, 26401, CREST Cedex, including an A5 envelope and €0.92 stamp for the leaflet, or €5 payment for the guide.
How to help an injured bird
If you find a bird on the ground that has been stunned (ie. it is breathing with difficulty and does not fly away when approached), place it in cardboard box with air holes and put it in a darkened place.
Let it go free again after one to two hours, but try to avoid handling it, as they are very delicate creatures and are easily injured by too firm handling. If the bird cannot fly away, find out if there is a care centre for wild animals in your area.
The Union Française des Centres de Sauvegarde de la Faune Sauvage has 41 of them (see http://uncs.chez.com/).
Otherwise, you should take it to a small animal vet.
