We talk to the Glass Traps Foundation, which deals with education and protection activities for birds on a daily basis, about the relationship between birds and people in the urban jungle, and what to do not only not to disturb, but also to help our little friends, making more and more window panes in Poland visible to birds as well.
1. Man in a city and birds in a city. What is the relationship between these two species and where do birds in urban areas come from?
Birds have been inhabiting cities for many years, drawn by favorable conditions, such as easy access to food, higher winter temperatures, human-provided feeding, fewer natural predators, and an abundance of nesting sites in buildings. Unfortunately, human activities are transforming their environment, leading to declining populations for many common bird species in the urban jungle.
2. What are the biggest threats to birds in the urban jungle?
Several factors should be highlighted. A serious threat is undoubtedly posed by free-living cats, which kill millions of birds every year in Poland alone. The cat is a domestic animal, a predator, so letting it outdoors harms native fauna and cats themselves (death under the wheels of cars, disease, etc.). Another threat to birds is, of course, window panes... It is estimated that billions of birds around the world lose their lives as a result of collisions with architecture invisible to them.
3. Why do birds actually collide with window panes?
Birds collide with window panes because they do not perceive glass as a physical barrier due to its transparency and reflectivity. If birds have such good eyesight, why can't they see glass as an obstacle when we can see it clearly? In fact, we don't usually see the glass either, which is clear and colourless. Who didn't hit glazing that they didn't expect to encounter on their way?
Unlike humans, who can detect glass based on surrounding elements like frames and shadows, birds do not conduct such analysis. They move faster than humans and, when hitting glass at high speed, they are killed or seriously injured (often also resulting in death). Additionally, the reflectivity of glass causes a 'mirror effect,' especially when patches of greenery are present opposite the glass, attracting birds to fly towards these deceptive reflections. What exactly does this mean? Glazing perfectly reflects environmental elements attractive to birds, such as trees and shrubs. So they exhibit exactly the same properties as mirrors in our homes. Birds, seeing attractive and potentially safe places for them, try to get to them by flying straight into the deadly glass.
4. How can this be addressed? How to protect birds from the glass menace?
We will not, of course, suggest giving up glass to save birds. However, window panes are a threat that we can address very effectively. We simply need to make them visible to birds without compromising their functionality. Start with the collision glazing of our houses and flats, specifically the ones that pose a real threat to birds, the ones that birds hit. By doing so, let us show our winged neighbors the invisible threat. We can do this in many ways, such as:
- hang curtains, drapes, blinds or shutters in windows,
- apply various types of stickers to windows (e.g. stripes, dots, decorative stickers of any design). However, remember that one sticker on the glass is not enough to protect the bird from a collision. Depending on the size of a window, several protective elements should be used, making sure that they are applied densely enough,
- decorate our windows with stained glass or reflective elements.
5. What to do when you find a bird after a collision with glass?
After a bird collides with glass, it is usually dazed and defenseless, making it vulnerable to predators like cats, dogs, or martens. Taking prompt action is crucial to help the collision victim.
Follow these steps:
1) Safely capture the bird for both its safety and yours. If the bird escapes, use soft material like a scarf or shirt to recapture it.
If the bird escapes (e.g. flies up or runs away), we can use soft material like a scarf or shirt to aid in recapturing it.
2) Place the bird in a secure container with access to fresh air, such as a cardboard box.
3) Follow the following rule: Quiet, Dark, Warm (providing a sense of safety for the affected bird). It is important that it does not get cold, and on hot days it should be protected from overheating.
4) If the bird's injuries are not severe, it should recover after several dozen minutes (or even a few hours) (a bird jumps up, is animated, tries to get out of a cardboard box, responds to our presence). Ideally, release it close to where you found it (away from the glass, of course).
If the bird's condition does not improve, seek help at a wildlife rehabilitation centre. A full list of such centres can be found on the website of the General Directorate for Environmental Protection.
6. And what to do when we find an injured bird in an urban space? When should we help it and when should we leave it alone?
- We help whenever we see an injured bird (damaged limbs, visible blood, etc.). Again, it is best to apply the rule: Quiet, Dark, Warm. We transport injured birds to wildlife rehabilitation centres. There they will receive professional care. Please note, the exception to this rule are nestlings. Nestlings are birds that are learning to live. They get lessons from the best teachers you could ever dream of - their parents. Nestlings cannot fly yet, but they're not chicks anymore. They have not fallen out of a nest and do not need help, they have left a nest by flying out, but their first flight is not yet smooth flying. Therefore, on the ground they fly up, jump, walk, run, exercise their muscles, and learn the difficult technique of active flying. Their parents are nearby, watching over them, defending them, teaching them to avoid danger and feeding them. We do not rescue such birds. We leave them in the care of their parents.
7. What can the 'average Smith' do within their home/apartment to help birds?
Secure the windows in your home, workplace, do not let cats outside, plant native species of plants in your garden, do not mow your lawns too often, do not rake leaves in autumn and do not shoot fireworks or firecrackers on New Year's Eve. You can hang nesting boxes and feed birds in winter. There are indeed several activities to choose from. It is worth choosing, for example, three of them to start with and start using them.
8. There is more and more talk that, contrary to popular belief, bread and other baked goods are harmful to birds. What then should we feed birds with to make them feel good?
Feed birds with grain. They will be happy and will gladly fly to our feeder: sunflower seeds, oats, wheat, nuts (walnuts, hazelnuts) are real treats. Hang (unsalted) pork backfat for tits, while blackbirds will appreciate an apple. However, in summer, particularly during hot weather, provide drinking bowls with fresh water.
9. Do we feed birds all year round, or should our help vary according to the season?
The debate on feeding birds all year round has an equal number of supporters and opponents. Personally, we lean towards feeding during the winter, when days shorten, snow covers the ground, and temperatures plummet below zero, etc. Feeding during this time is particularly beneficial for birds. In contrast, during spring or summer, birds should forage for food themselves and teach their offspring to do the same.
10. Where to hang birdhouses so that they really serve them?
Birdhouses present an excellent solution in a human-degraded environment. Sometimes they are the only option for birds to breed. To ensure birdhouses serve birds well, it's essential to adapt the size and placement of each birdhouse to the specific bird species. For example, for swifts, special boxes are available that should be hung high on buildings. Tits prefer boxes hung in trees, placed high enough to be out of reach from humans and potential predators. It is recommended to purchase the boxes from reputable ornithological shops and hang them on the less sunny side of a building (i.e. avoiding southern exposure).
11. Finally, tell us a little about yourselves. Where did the idea for such a Foundation come from? What does your daily work look like? What can be done to support your activities?
The Glass Traps Foundation is a young, fast-growing non-governmental organization founded to protect birds from collisions with transparent and mirrored infrastructure elements. It is the first and only organisation in Poland that comprehensively addresses the issue of birds colliding with window panes. The history of the establishment of the Glass Traps Foundation dates back to 2017 when it began as an informal group/social initiative focusing on educational and protective activities. In February 2019, the Glass Traps Foundation was officially established to more effectively protect birds from the threat of window panes, and unite people who care about bird collisions with transparent surfaces. The Foundation's activities encompass various areas, including education (lectures, workshops, conferences, educational publications: books, brochures), scientific research (studying various aspects of bird collisions, inspecting collision-prone facilities, veterinary dissections of collision victims, scientific publications), and promoting the protection of transparent surfaces (sale, distribution and installation of glass marking systems).
Support the Foundation by volunteering your time to monitor glass surfaces, contributing your skills, such as arts, crafts, photography, etc., and sharing kind words. We are planning to launch an online shop with unique items for bird lovers. Contributions towards the Foundation's statutory objectives are, of course, also welcome.