How to Make Cities Safer for Birds
World Migratory Bird Day is on May 10, and this year’s theme is creating bird-friendly cities and communities.
Spring migration is in full swing, and my neighbourhood is teeming with birds. I’ve been seeing and hearing all sorts of warblers, sparrows, finches, kinglets, woodpeckers, and more. As a bird lover, I adore this time of year.
Whether you notice them or not, we share our communities with birds. Some live among us all year, others return each spring to nest, and hundreds of species pass through while migrating between their breeding and wintering grounds. Many cities are located on flyways: routes birds have used to migrate for thousands of years.
When birds stop to rest and refuel, they are exhausted and starving — and particularly vulnerable to threats like domestic cats, pesticides, light pollution, and windows. It is estimated that 60% of bird species are declining globally. The good news is, we can all take steps to protect migratory birds and help them make a safe journey. Here are some simple actions you can take.
Make Windows Visible
Birds don’t grasp the concept of glass; they see reflections, and they see through glass, but they don’t see glass itself. If a window doesn’t have markings to show it’s a sold surface, birds will fly toward a reflection of the sky, or a plant inside your window. Glass railings pose the same problem.
In Canada, window collisions kill up to 42 million birds a year: in the United States, up to 988 million. The charity FLAP Canada monitors buildings throughout the Greater Toronto Area, and volunteers collect birds that have collided with windows. Since 1993, FLAP has documented almost 100,000 birds from 178 species.
The solution is simple: make glass visible. You can treat windows and glass railings with collision-deterrent films or markers, or get creative with products like tempera paint or oil-based markers. Make sure to treat the outside surface, and keep markings 1-2 inches apart. For a detailed list of solutions and guidelines, visit FLAP Canada or read my article for Chatelaine.
Turn Out the Lights
Many bird species migrate at night, using the moon and stars to navigate. The bright lights from buildings and floodlights can confuse and lure them, especially on foggy or rainy nights when they fly at lower altitudes. Birds become disoriented, trapped in a maze of buildings where they may collide with windows.
You can help by turning off the lights off at night — especially during spring and fall migration. If you manage or work in an office building, organize or advocate for a Lights Out campaign.
Garden With Native Plants
Plants native to your local area provide important habitat — food, water and shelter — that birds need to survive. Native plants also require less water and maintenance than non-native varieties. To get started, check out Bird Gardens — a resource by Birds Canada that helps you plan a bird garden based on your geographic area, site conditions, and plant preferences. You’ll even get a customized native plant list. I also recommend the book A Garden for the Rusty-Patched Bumblebee: Creating Habitat for Native Pollinators by Lorraine Johnson.
Avoid Using Pesticides
95% of birds depend on insects at some time during their life cycle. Avoid using pesticides, which harm beneficial insects (including pollinators), and contribute to the decline of birds. (Psst: If you garden with native plants, you won’t have to worry about chemicals, since native plants co-evolved with native insects.)
Restrain Your Pets
We love our pets, but free roaming cats and dogs can disturb and even kill birds. In fact, domestic cats are the leading cause of bird mortality. Researchers estimate that cats kill between 100 and 350 million birds every year in Canada. And it’s important to remember that although a cat’s instinct to kill is innate, domestic cats are not native to any ecosystem.
Although some people think cats are happier if they can roam, keeping cats indoors—or giving them supervised time outdoors—will help them lead longer, healthier lives. There are plenty of ways to keep cats entertained and exercised without letting them roam freely: train them to walk on a leash (yes, it can be done), make them a “catio” and give them lots of stimulation indoors. I wrote an in-depth article on how free roaming puts both cats and birds at risk — and better ways to keep them entertained.
Purchase Bird-Friendly Coffee
The coffee you drink can have a huge impact on migratory birds, as many species overwinter in coffee-growing regions. Coffee (and chocolate) can either be grown as a monoculture, leaving no habitat for birds or wildlife — or it can be grown in the shade of a diverse, thriving rainforest that supports biodiversity.
While organic certification limits chemical use, it doesn’t include criteria for habitat. And the term “shade grown” is thrown around without any real checks and balances. The best choice is certified Bird Friendly Coffee, which also happens to be fair trade and organic. Run by the Smithsonian, Bird Friendly certification is the environmental gold standard in sustainable coffee and cocoa production. It not only protects migratory birds, but it preserves habitat for local birds and wildlife. Their website maintains a list of Bird Friendly suppliers, and you can also ask your local grocer to stock it. I get my Bird Friendly coffee from Birds and Beans, which has been roasting and championing bird-friendly coffee for 25 years.
Use Less Plastic
Every year, Canadians throw away 3 million metric tonnes of plastic waste, and only 9% of that plastic is recycled. Of all the plastic ever made, 79% still exists in landfills and the environment. This plastic pollution poses a serious threat to birds, which are known to ingest it. Ingesting plastic causes internal injuries, blockages, and exposure to toxic chemicals. Global analysis shows that plastic ingestion occurs in bird species across the world. Seabirds are particularly at risk because of their feeding habits.
There are many ways to reduce plastic pollution. Here are a few ideas:
Use reusable water bottles and mugs
Use cloth shopping and produce bags
Avoid plastic cutlery, straws, and plastic takeout containers
Buy foods in bulk, filling reusable containers instead of baggies
Instead of plastic wrap, use silicone pouches or beeswax wrap
Use bar soap or foaming soap tablets in glass soap dispensers
Opt for bamboo dental floss and tooth brushes, and powdered toothpaste
Try shampoo and conditioner bars
I hope this article was helpful! Until next time, I encourage you to get outside and see what new birds you see or hear flitting around your neighbourhood.
Yours for the Greener Good,
Brett