In just one day, volunteers found hundreds of birds that had crashed into GTA buildings

More than 300 birds that crashed into windows in the Greater Toronto area were found last Wednesday by a volunteer-based organization that tracks and records bird safety.

Most did not survive.

According to Michael Mesure, executive director of the Fatal Light Awareness Program (FLAP), it’s an easy problem to fix. But a lack of incentives means few people make the necessary changes, he told CBC Toronto.

During a bird-patrol in Markham on Wednesday, Mesure found 20 birds around just one building in Markham. They placed the sole survivor of the herd in a paper bag with plans to take him to a rehabilitation center.

“There’s not really much we can do other than keep it calm and as stress-free as possible in the hopes that it can recover from this,” Mesure said during the patrol.

“It’s sad that the death rate is so high.”

As of 2022, collision prevention windows are required on some new buildings in Toronto, but the regulation does not apply to most residential buildings or existing buildings. According to the latest self-reported assessment for the national Bird Safe Cities program obtained by CBC Toronto, the standard is not enforced and “no buildings have been completed in the city” that comply with the guideline.

Mesur said guidelines need to be implemented to bring about change.

“If we’re going to really have a chance to deal with this problem, we’re going to have to retrofit these buildings,” he said.

The City of Toronto did not respond to CBC’s request for comment within the deadline outlined in the request.

Offshore buildings have windows reflecting greenery

As of 2019, over the past 50 years, North American bird populations have declined by the billions report in the journal Science.

This time of year is especially deadly, Mesure said, because it’s the time when many species migrate. Nearly 2,000 birds died after colliding with buildings around the GTA in the past month, according to Global Bird Collision Mapper, A digital reporting tool that allows volunteers and members of the public to record penetrations and track the locations of bird collisions with buildings.

During patrolling, FLAP volunteers record any injuries or deaths in the database and bring injured birds to rehabilitation centres. Some days, Mesure said, they get hundreds of birds.

Mesure said the culprits behind most murders are buildings less than 20 meters tall whose windows reflect the surrounding trees, bushes or grasslands. Birds struggle to tell the difference between the reflections and the actual greenery.

He said, “These birds are not stupid. We have created an illusion that causes harm. It is relatively easy to correct it.”

Collisions can be prevented by making window surfaces appear different from nature such as birds Look It may look like opaque patterns or dots imprinted on the glass, Mesure said.

Because of its reporting, Mesure said FLAP knows which buildings kill the most birds, but finds it difficult to encourage building owners to treat their windows because it is expensive to do so.

Replacing a window can cost hundreds of dollars, he said.

“There’s really no return for people other than the goodness of their hearts,” he said. “It’s not like that…this will somehow put the money back in the owner’s pocket.”

‘Bird-friendly’ city

Markham requires new construction to include conflict prevention strategies in site plans. Markham’s director of sustainability and asset management, Graham Seaman, said the city is also running awareness campaigns to encourage individuals to have bird-safe glass on private property.

“We don’t really have any tools to force anyone to make a retrofit,” Seaman said. “If (the complaints) are significant, we can call the building owner and encourage them.”

Toronto is a certified “bird-friendly city” by NATour Canada, a national conservation charity. To become certified, cities must meet minimum requirements for hazard reduction, environmental protection and community outreach.

The Bird-Friendly Cities Certification Program does not include a category to track enforcement of window requirements.

Autumn Jordan, organizer of the Bird Friendly Cities program, says the lack of enforcement is not unique to Toronto. He said the city is a leader in the program and is one of the first cities in North America to agree to become bird-friendly.

“Despite all the lack of enforcement, there are still more buildings being built with bird-safe glass,” Jordan said.

Difficulties in collecting data

Both Toronto and Markham’s bird protection plans defer data collection and outreach to FLAP for existing buildings. Jordan said this is common across Canadian municipalities, not just the GTA.

But Mesure said FLAP still faces challenges when collecting data, including venturing off private properties during patrols.

“Sometimes security, building owners don’t want us here,” he said.

He said it was important to find the birds quickly for the data to be accurate as their carcasses are often taken away by scavengers. Or, if injured, they may fly away and die elsewhere.

He said lack of record of the seriousness of the problem makes it difficult to advocate for change.

“People often need to see it to believe it,” he said.