Infographic aiming to raise awareness regarding the problem of birds’ deaths in NYC due to reflective glass buildings and light pollution, as well as what we, as a community can do to solve this issue!
Categories
Author: Melisa Stillo
Take a look at this presentation regarding Migratory Birds in NYC and why it is important that we take action NOW!
Every year in New York City, up to 230,000 birds tragically lose their lives due to collisions with glass-covered buildings during migration. According to NYC Audubon, this alarming figure indicates a serious problem impacting both regional and North American ecosystems (PolitiFact, 2024). For birds that migrate through this urban environment on a seasonal basis, the city’s landscape—which is characterized by towering buildings with reflective windows and artificial lights—presents a risky barrier (American Bird Conservancy, 2021). As a result, the bird populations have decreased by over 3 billion in the United States and Canada since 1970. This issue highlights the urgent need for conservation efforts (ABC, 2021).
Figure 1.
Pisano, S. (2024). Collisions with buildings is one of the leading anthropogenic causes of bird deaths. Gizmodo. https://gizmodo.com/bird-deaths-from-window-strikes-are-way-higher-than-we-ever-imagined-2000484686
The causes for these birds’ mass deaths are simple. The migratory birds run into reflective windows when they descend because of bad weather or fatigue, which causes high-impact accidents (ABC, 2021; Audubon, 2023). Birds frequently fly straight into the glass, mistaking it for the wide sky or adjacent trees. Artificial lights intensify the issue at night by misleading nocturnal migrants and luring them to lighted cityscapes. Recent die-offs near the World Trade Center illustrate how inclement weather, combined with rain, wind, bright lights, and glass surfaces, makes this tragic cycle occur more often (ABC, 2021).
Figure 2.
Nagle, M. (2023). Brookfield Place and One World Trade are among the city’s worst deathtraps for migrating birds, with about 100 colliding into the glassy buildings this year. New York Post. https://nypost.com/2024/11/13/us-news/bloody-bird-collisions-in-nyc-skyrocket-this-autumn/
Birds are important to preserving ecosystem equilibrium. They aid in pollination, seed distribution, pest management etc. In addition to posing a threat to biodiversity, their decline—which is intensified by urbanization—also runs the risk of destabilizing the ecosystems on which humans rely for environmental quality and food security (PolitiFact, 2024). Therefore, it is vital from an ethical, ecological, and public health viewpoint to address the causes of bird mortality in densely populated locations such as our city.
Figure 3.
Butcher, S. (2020). Nearly 1,000 birds have been killed this autumn from flying into New York City skyscrapers. NYC Bird Alliance
New York City has already responded by taking several actions, but much more needs to be done. Addressing the major cause of bird crashes in the 2020 passage of Local Law 15 was a big step. It mandates that new buildings have bird-friendly glass designs and lower window reflectivity (American Bird Conservancy, 2021). Additionally, the city supports programs like NYC Audubon’s “Project Safe Flight,” which keeps an eye on crash scenes and gives lawmakers statistical information to encourage safer building codes and retrofitted buildings (Audubon, 2023). By encouraging citizens and building owners to switch off extraneous lights, public efforts like “Lights Out New York” seek to reduce artificial light emissions during the migratory seasons. Evidence has shown that such initiatives lead to fewer bird casualties (Audubon, 2024).
Figure 4.
Schleiffer, P. (2007). Yellow Warblers migrate through New York City, stopping in our parks to feed and rest. This beautiful species also nests in all five boroughs. NYC Bird Alliance. https://nycbirdalliance.org/our-work/conservation/project-safe-flight
Making New York City a safer place for migratory birds, however, would require a greater effort. Adding non-reflective or patterned glass to older buildings to avoid crashes is still difficult and calls for more financing and support. Strengthening present efforts can be achieved by encouraging private building owners to make bird-friendly modifications to their properties. Educational initiatives encourage locals about the negative effects of light pollution and easy ways to make their homes bird-safe, like installing special window screens, utilizing window decals, or shutting blinds at night, especially the locals who live in high-building apartment complexes (ABC, 2021).
The risks are high, but every change contributes to a collective impact that can save thousands of birds’ lives annually. Organizations like NYC Audubon, the American Bird Conservancy, and grassroots advocates are working tirelessly to turn New York City into a model of urban wildlife conservation. However, engaging communities, raising public awareness, and demanding stronger bird-friendly laws will ensure that migratory birds continue to thrive for generations.
If interested in getting informed regarding this issue visit our full website: https://birdsproject.commons.gc.cuny.edu/
References
American Bird Conservancy. (2021). Mass Bird Deaths in NYC due to Building Collisions. Retrieved from abcbirds.org
NYC Audubon. (2023). Project Safe Flight Overview. Retrieved from audubon.org
PolitiFact. (2024). Bird Death Statistics in NYC and the U.S. Retrieved from politifact.com
New York City’s skyscrapers light up every night’s sky, creating a magnificent view of modern architecture. However, beneath the facade lies a dreadful reality: millions of migratory birds die each year as they collide with the city’s tall structures. The problem has escalated so far that this is now recognized as a pressing conservation issue, driven by many factors that are difficult to deal with in a city of NYC’s size. These tragic incidents not only impact the bird populations but also reflect the overlooked environmental consequences of urbanization.
The number of birds’ deaths in New York City is shocking. During migration seasons, hundreds of millions of birds pass through the area, often disoriented by the city’s dazzling lights and glass exteriors. According to a well-known study carried out by the New York City Audubon regarding the issue, up to 230,000 birds fatally lose their lives each year in the city alone as a result of the impacts of window collisions. Light pollution, which severely gravitates the problem, combined with architectural designs, creates a deadly combination. Birds are drawn to illuminated structures, especially during their nocturnal migrations, when they rely on celestial cues to navigate their route. When artificial lights disrupt this process, birds frequently fly towards these bright structures, colliding with windows or tiring themselves by circling the lights until they succumb to exhaustion.
Figure 1.
Breyer, M. (2021). Blackburnian Warbler found in downtown New York City. Audubon Magazine. https://www.audubon.org/news/a-video-captures-dreadful-toll-window-strikes-take-migrating-birds
Highly reflective surfaces also aggravate the situation because birds cannot distinguish between reflections and actual spaces. A bird may perceive a mirrored window as an open sky or a grove of trees, encouraging it to fly directly into the structure. Despite efforts to reduce such collisions through building design and light management, buildings such as the World Trade Center and the Javits Center have become notorious for bird death (American Bird Conservancy, 2021). Beyond the heartbreaking loss of individual lives, these crashes pose a greater harm to bird populations by increasing mortality rates across species.
Figure 2.
Jeffrey, J. (2024). After surviving building collisions, around 60 per cent of birds die in rehabilitation care. New Scientist. https://www.newscientist.com/article/2442907-bird-deaths-from-building-strikes-may-be-double-past-estimates/
Another contributing factor is the lighting used in New York City. White and blue lights, which are often utilized in metropolitan areas, are especially appealing to birds. According to studies, these lights interfere more with birds’ migratory pathways than red or amber lights. The lights not only interfere with their navigation but also lure them to regions they would normally avoid (Loss et al., 2014). We have to keep in mind that many birds migrating through New York are already under threat in their natural habitats, including habitat loss and climate change. For some species, urban fatalities may bring them closer to extinction.
Figure 3.
Nagle, M. (2019). One World Trade Center (WTC) stands in the lower Manhattan skyline as birds fly over the Hudson River in Hoboken, New Jersey. https://www.npr.org/2019/04/07/710847132/big-cities-bright-lights-and-up-to-1-billion-bird-collisions
Addressing this challenge requires a combination of architectural, technological, and policy-oriented solutions. Reducing light pollution is one of the most immediate and cost-effective solutions. The “Lights Out” campaign, launched by the New York City Audubon, encourages building owners to turn off non-essential lights during peak migratory periods. This project has already had some success in reducing bird deaths, but participation remains voluntary. The building design also helps prevent bird crashes. Simple changes, such as patterned glass or window treatments, can assist birds in distinguishing mirroring surfaces from the open sky. These adjustments have been successfully implemented in cities such as Chicago and San Francisco, where similar challenges are being addressed (Sheppard, 2019).
The consequences of unchecked bird fatalities are far-reaching. Birds are crucial to maintaining balanced ecosystems. They are pollinators, seed distributors, and help in pest collection. An urban environment doesn’t make their role any less significant. Studies suggest that birds can help manage pest populations in cities, which could otherwise escalate without natural predators (Lepczyk et al., 2017). The loss of bird populations could create cascading effects, disrupting urban ecosystems and even affecting human residents in subtle ways. Moreover, many bird species are “indicator species,” meaning their health and presence can signal the well-being of broader environmental conditions. A decline in bird populations may point to deeper environmental issues that could eventually impact human health and quality of life.
Figure 4.
Gonzeles, C. (2024). Flocks of Double-crested Cormorants on New York Harbor Island. NYC Bird Alliance
While some building owners and organizations have taken proactive steps, large-scale change requires collective action. Increased public awareness can lead to stronger policies, such as mandating bird-friendly building standards for new constructions or retrofitting older buildings. Efforts to educate the public about turning off lights or modifying home windows can also contribute to reducing bird fatalities. By making small changes, New Yorkers can play a part in preserving entire species of birds and maintaining the city’s environmental diversity.
New York City is currently facing a clash between urban development and wildlife conservation. With better awareness and targeted solutions, however, there is potential to reduce the toll on bird populations. The subsequent blogs in this series will delve deeper into each of these areas, providing readers with a fuller understanding of the problem and offering actionable steps to help address it. By working together, New York can continue to be a world-renowned city while also setting an example for urban sustainability and wildlife conservation.
References
American Bird Conservancy. (2021). Why Birds Collide With Buildings — and What We Can Do About It. Retrieved from https://abcbirds.org
Lepczyk, C. A., La Sorte, F. A., Aronson, M. F., Goddard, M. A., MacGregor-Fors, I., Nilon, C. H., & Warren, P. S. (2017). Global patterns and drivers of urban bird diversity. Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences, 284(1864), 20170850.
Loss, S. R., Will, T., & Marra, P. P. (2014). Estimates of bird collision mortality at wind facilities in the contiguous United States. Biological Conservation, 168, 201–209.
New York City Audubon. (2022). New York City Audubon Bird-Friendly Building Guidelines. Retrieved from https://nycaudubon.org
Sheppard, C. (2019). Bird-Friendly Building Design: Second Edition. American Bird Conservancy.
