For migrating birds, windows are a matter of life or death

As autumn begins across Missouri, so too does a symphony of nature sounds: the rustle of yellowing leaves, the last chirps of summertime bugs, the dull “thud” of a bird slamming into a window.

Research estimates around one billion birds, many of them songbirds on their southern migrations, die in the U.S. each year after colliding with buildings. Janet Haslerig, an avian ecologist with the Missouri Department of Conservation, said those kinds of collisions represent a significant threat to overall migratory bird populations.

“Unfortunately, glass is not a bird’s best friend,” Haslerig said.

During the day, windows can reflect the surrounding area, which birds perceive as an open space to fly or land. At night, they allow indoor light to bleed outside, which disrupts the dark skies and