Fall brings 'tragic surge' in injuries, deaths of birds due to window strikes: B.C. rescue

This photo provided by the Wildlife Rescue Association of B.C. shows a red crossbill undergoing an eye exam.

As the weather cools and birds migrate to warmer climates, a wildlife rescue in B.C. has seen a “tragic surge” in animals hurt or killed after flying into windows.

The Wildlife Rescue Association of B.C. has admitted 81 birds suffering from window strike injuries since August, the organization said last week, urging people to take precautions to prevent injuries and fatalities.

“As birds migrate, they become highly susceptible to window strike incidents as glass surfaces are invisible to them. The large windows and glass balcony railings of high-rises are especially hazardous for migrating birds,” Jackie McQuillan, the support centre manager for the rescue says in a statement.

Anyone who witnesses a bird strike is urged to call a rescue organization because, as McQuillan explained, the injuries the creatures suffer can be difficult for a layperson to detect and can take some time to become apparent.

“Birds that have impacted a window often suffer from concussions, internal injuries, eye injuries, and fractured bones, so it’s important that they are examined by a trained rehabilitator as soon as possible,” she says.

The BC SPCA, on its website, notes that windows are hazardous for birds during the day because they reflect trees and the sky – making them look like an “inviting place to fly.” In addition, birds can mistake their reflections for those of a potential competitor or foe that they will try to attack by banging into the window. At night, lights coming from indoors can attract and confuse birds.

Recommendations for preventing bird strikes include closing curtains or blinds and installing decals. The Wildlife Rescue Association of B.C. says that roughly 25 million birds die in Canada annually due to window strikes.

The organization also notes that this year’s bird photographer of the year award went to an image captured by photographer Patricia Homonylo who showed more than 4,000 birds that had died from window strikes in Toronto.