Welcome to brain Stuff, a production of I Heart Radio. Hey brain Stuff, Lauren Bogobam. Here, you're working away next to a window when you hear a thunk. You look up just in time to see a poor wee birdie stunned and falling away from the glass. Or maybe you've found a disoriented, injured, or even dead little feathered friend who's obviously crashed into a nearby window. Poor buddy. You think they don't know what glasses, Well, that's kind of
the case, but it's not the whole story. And during daylight hours, those windows reflect sky and trees and other pleasant things. The birds think those reflections are continuation of the landscape, so they try to fly into it. It does not work out well for them. At night, the light from inside our homes and buildings shines through the windows, and the birds try to fly inside for shelter. That doesn't work out for them either, actually leap. It's worse
than that. Nocturnal artificial light can pull birds off their migration roots, especially if it's foggy or the clouds are low. Then they hang around the windows and knock into the glass and each other. This nighttime hazard is the reason why Dozens of cities have joined lights out programs that aim to convince building owners to turn off unnecessary light during migration season. In the spring, when birds are feeling territorial and feisty, they may see their reflection in the
window and try to attack it. This is less fatal than flying full tilt into a window and is usually just annoying to the human on the other side of the glass. Birds are also more apt to fly into windows if they get a little drunk on fermented berries. Don't drink and fly birds. Fifty four to seventy six percent of bird and window collisions are fatal, according to the Portland Audubon Society. Study published in the journal The Condor found that residential and low rise buildings account for
scent of all window impacts. High rises only account for one percent. The same study estimated that between a hundred million and one billion birds are killed each year by colliding with buildings in the United States alone. So what
can humans do? Lots Actually, Yale, for example, has had issues with birds crashing into windows for years, so the university has incorporated bird safe standards for new building construction and renovations that it tackles this includes making glass more visible and dampening reflections to prevent the windows looking like open passages. The standards also require decreased light pollution and fewer structures that trap birds think open pipes, ventilation gates,
and drains. Here are some ideas suggested by the Audubon Society to retrofit existing buildings. You can put a net or screen on the outside of the window to slow the bird down before the collision. You can close your curtains or blinds at night. Make sure you place any bird feeders and plants either at least thirty feet that's nine meters away from your windows, or hangbird feeders right on the glass with suction cups. Decorate your windows with
paintings or other art. You can also paint or apply sticker strips to your windows, but remember birds fly between trees and branches. Those strips should be no more than two to four inches that's five apart, otherwise the birds might try to fly through them. Today's episode is based on the article Oh birds, please don't fly into our windows on how Stuff works dot com, written by Kristen
hall Geisler. Brain Stuff is production of by Heart Radio in partnership of how stuffworks dot com and is produced by Tyler Clay. Four more podcasts My Heart Radio, visit the i heart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you listen to your favorite shows.