This month, Door Creek Park’s shelter has become safer for migrating birds, thanks to local Girl Scout Ellie Meng, Madison Parks, and Southern Wisconsin Bird Alliance.
photo: Kady Davis/SoWBA
Preventing Bird-Window Collisions at Home
Window collisions are the second biggest killer of birds with just under half of those collisions being with homes and smaller buildings. In a study last year, about 3.5 billion birds died from Bird-Window Collisions. The two biggest factors for why birds fly into windows are transparency and reflectiveness. The birds either see something on the other side of the glass that they want to get to — we call this the pass through effect. Reflectiveness is when they see a reflection of something they want to get to.
Middleton and Madison move toward building cities safer for birds
Middleton, WI is the newest municipality in the country to adopt a bird-safe glass ordinance as of February 20, 2024. The ordinance, which matches the one implemented in Madison in 2020, requires buildings over 10,000 square feet to use bird-safe design or bird-safe glass.
Photo by Steve Kersting FCC
Action Alert: Support Middleton's bird-safe glass ordinance!
Middleton, WI residents have an important, time-sensitive opportunity to support the proposed Bird-safe Glass Ordinance on or before the February 20, 2024 public hearing. Please submit comments using the information below by 1:00pm CT on February 20, 2024, and if you’re able, join the meeting to voice your support for bird-safe glass and responsible development!
Photo by Kelly Colgan Azar
Growing interest in gardening for birds at 2024 Wisconsin Garden Expo
Wisconsin bird lovers can learn how to attract and feed our feathered friends and keep them safe around their home at the PBS Wisconsin Garden and Landscape Expo Feb. 9-11 at the Alliant Energy Center in Madison.
Avian experts from across the state will offer tips on everything from gardening for hummingbirds and songbirds, to attracting Eastern Bluebirds and Purple Martins with nest boxes and martin houses, respectively, to easy home solutions to prevent birds from colliding with windows.
