At the University of Cincinnati, a grim discovery has turned into a loud and urgent call for action: more than 50 birds found dead in a single day — victims of window collisions during peak migration season. For Dr. Ronald Canterbury, a veteran ornithologist and head of UC’s long-running bird-banding program, it was more than a tragic statistic. It was a warning.
“They are telling us something is wrong,” Canterbury told WCPO Cincinnati. And the science backs him up. For over a decade, he and his students have documented bird fatalities on campus.
Normally, they find around eight birds a day during migration. But this September, the number spiked dramatically — a mass casualty event that prompted protests, a student-led petition, and growing demands for the university to expand bird-safe infrastructure.
This isn’t about a few unfortunate impacts. According to the National Audubon Society, more than a billion birds are killed in the U.S. each year due to building collisions. The problem? Glass — especially the kind used in sleek, modern architecture. Birds don’t see clear reflections or transparent windows the way we do.
To them, it looks like open sky, or more trees. And during migration, when their instincts drive them forward, even small reflections can prove fatal.
Canterbury believes a combination of environmental pressures — especially drought followed by heavy rainfall — helped funnel massive numbers of birds through narrow urban corridors like UC’s campus, where mirrored glass surfaces acted like a visual trap. It was, in his words, a “maze of reflections.”
The good news? We know how to fix this. Bird-safe glass treatments, like those used in UC’s renovated Old Chemistry building, work. Since retrofitting that building, fatalities there have dropped from about 20 to just four. Solutions include patterned or fritted glass, exterior screens, and adjusted lighting during key migration months. It’s not hypothetical — it’s already saving lives.
That’s why student activists, including a group called Queer Birders of Cincinnati, rallied this week to amplify the cause, launching a petition titled “Make Buildings Safe for Migrating Birds on the University of Cincinnati’s Campus.” Their message is clear: if the university already has a working solution, why not expand it?
In a statement, UC said it is “committed to a comprehensive approach,” pointing to its bird-safe upgrades and ongoing research. But with Canterbury and his students documenting this issue for more than a decade, many feel the pace of change needs to accelerate — especially when the solutions are cost-effective and available.
