Spencer Smith

Biology

Mentor: Dr. Jessica Habashi

Survey of Bird Window Collisions at Utah State University-Brigham City Regional Campus

This study was undertaken to examine the incidence of bird-window collisions at Utah State University (USU)-Brigham City’s Classroom and Student Services (C&SS) Building. Bird-window collisions are a major cause of bird mortality in the US; an estimated 350 million to more than 1 billion birds are killed annually.

The C&SS Building, which opened in 2015, has floor-to-ceiling windows on all sides and a large ficus tree in the atrium that is clearly visible from the four main entrances. Grasses, shrubs, and trees sit within 6 feet of the building’s exterior, creating a collision risk. Given these features, we hypothesize that bird-window collisions will occur more frequently near windows where the ficus tree is visible from the outside.

The study was initiated in September 2017. At least three surveys of the building are conducted weekly. Researchers walk the building’s perimeter, looking for evidence of bird-window collisions (e.g., carcasses, blood, piles of feathers, window smudges) within 6 feet of the building’s exterior and up to 15 feet from the ground. When a collision is identified, photos are taken and the location, date, and time are recorded. Physical evidence is collected for species identification.

To date, 9 carcasses have been collected: 6 sparrows (Passer domesticus), 1 broadtail hummingbird (Selasphorus platycercus), and 2 blackeyed juncos (Junco hyemalis). Eight of the birds were found near windows on the east side of the building (5 sparrows, 1 broadtail hummingbird, and 2 blackeyed juncos). Our preliminary data support our hypothesis and suggest that retrofitting of the east windows is necessary to mitigate the risk of future collisions. The study will continue until 12 months of data have been collected. At that time, a full analysis will be conducted and a presentation of our findings will be made to USU administrators.