Hundreds of millions of birds die each year from crashing into windows. It is one of the largest human-caused causes of bird deaths, far more than wind turbines and airplane collisions combined. People sometimes apply decals or tinted films to windows to help birds see glass windows before it’s too late.However, in recent studies PeerJ Life/Environment indicates that such films work only on the exterior surface of windows.
“These window films on the inside still provide the benefits needed to protect birds,” said John P. Swaddle, a biologist at the University of William and Mary and lead author of the new study. I can’t.”
To test the film’s effectiveness, Swaddle and his colleagues applied one of two commercially available films to the inside or outside surface of a window. One film reflected short wavelength light that humans cannot see, and the other film reflected long wavelength light (many birds can see both). The researchers also installed extra-fine netting in front of the windows to keep the birds from actually hitting the glass. Both films helped him prevent more than 35% of bird strikes when applied to the outer surface, but did nothing for the inner film.
“This is in terms of keeping birds from crashing into windows,” said David Luther, a biologist at George Mason University who has studied the evolution of birds in cities but was not involved in the study. , groundbreaking research into the nuances of what works and what doesn’t.”
Natalia Ocampo Penuela, a conservation ecologist at the University of California, Santa Cruz, says it’s much easier to apply films or decals to the inside of windows. says, “Scaffolding is required… Windows must be cleaned well to apply correctly and they don’t last long.”
Swaddle hypothesizes that the film placed inside does not effectively block the reflection and scattering of external light. This could also apply to decals, he says, although it wasn’t tested in this study. In future studies, researchers will continue to explore how birds see and experience the world, and may even help bird enthusiasts, architects and manufacturers prevent bird deaths.
