LONDON, ONT. Spring is (almost) in the air and the sound of birds chirping has us feeling like the nicer weather is on its way. In order to keep our feathered friends singing, Brendon Samuels spends his time studying how to keep them safe. Samuels, a PhD student in the Department of Biology at Western University studies the factors that contribute to the risk of birds flying into windows on buildings. My research focusses on interactions between birds visual sensitivity, behaviour and structural properties of glass windows, says Samuels. With an interest in developing better tools to help with preventing collisions and understanding how birds detect and avoid crashing into glass, Samuels says he researches field studies of real buildings, citizen science, and behavioural experiments with captive birds.
One of the major culprits of small bird injuries may be closer than you think.
âPeople in the Jackson Hole community love their big windows,â said Jessica Schonegg, the Teton Raptor Centerâs acting rehabilitation director. âI donât blame them, because thereâs beautiful views. But the more windows you have and the cleaner they are, the easier it is for birds to miss the window when theyâre hunting.â
Window strikes are one of the leading causes of admission for birds in the Teton Raptor Centerâs rehabilitation program. Only a month into 2021, window collisions were the downfall of three birds the Teton Raptor Center rescued and released so far this year.