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A Safer Migration:�Feeding birds & preventing collisions

Yellow-rumped Warbler – Mick Thompson

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Black-capped Chickadee: Phil Brown | American Kestrel: Jim Stewart | Blue Jay: Courtney Celley/USFWS | Magnolia Warbler: Arlene Koziol

The Mighty Migrating Birds

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Cornell Lab of Ornithology

Michael Janke

Ruby-throated Hummingbird

6,000 miles+ round trip

Epic Journeys

Dark-eyed Junco

5,000 miles round trip

Andy Reago & Chrissy McClarren

Andy Reago & Chrissy McClarren

Tennessee Warbler

6,000+ miles round trip

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The Great State of Wisconsin

  • 400+ bird species�
  • 243 documented nesting species�
  • Home to 11 state endangered species: Piping Plover, Black Tern, Peregrine Falcon, Kirtland’s Warbler*, and more

animalspot.net

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The Great State of Wisconsin

Gary Shackelford

Roger Packard

Mandy Martin

SoWBA

Drew Harry

Roger Packard

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Major bird declines

Main drivers:

  • Habitat loss
  • Cats
  • Window collisions

�Harder to put a number on:

  • Climate change
  • Pesticides (food)

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Problem: Habitat loss, big and small

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Solution: Native gardens and feeder best practices

  • Native plants are the best type of “bird feeder”
  • Native plants support many times more species than non-natives
  • Host plants for caterpillars and other insects
  • Reduces reliance on water, fertilizer, and pesticides
  • Create diverse habitats: low, medium height, tall, keystone species

Bruce Hallman/USFWS

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Solution: Native gardens and feeder best practices

  • Where to find plants:
    • Local nurseries (look for “Safe for Monarchs” and native species labels)�
    • Native plant sales:
      • So WI Bird Alliance: order March 16-May 11, �pick up east Madison or Middleton May 17
      • Wisconsin Hardy Plant Society: order March 1-15, �pick up May 16 in west Madison
      • Plant Dale: order Feb. 1-Mar. 17, pick up May 17
      • UW Arboretum: order Jan. 1-Mar. 31, pick up May 12; �in person sale May 16
      • MAMGA sale May 17 includes some natives�
    • Grow your own!

​

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Solution: Native gardens and feeder best practices

  • Think of feeders & baths as restaurants:
    • Fresh food, replaced often
    • Frequent cleanings (every week or every-other week)
      • 10% bleach solution
    • Safety from predators (above and below)
    • Variety of food is ideal (seeds, worms, suet, etc.)

Cornell FeederCam

Phil Brown FCC

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Problem: outdoor cats are great hunters!

Loss et al 2015

Annual estimates

#1 Outdoor Cats

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Eileenmak

Solution: Keep cats indoors

 Leticia Dáquer CC BY-NC-SA 2.0

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Frequent window collisions

Loss et al 2015

Annual estimates

#2: Window collisions

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Window collisions are a problem

In 2024: Estimates increased to over 1 billion/year in US alone

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Kelly Colgan Azar

But why?

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The influence of lights

Mapbox FCC

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Damien Pollet

Driver #1: Reflection

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Driver #2: Transparency

& Pass-through effect

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Common window collision victims

Found through Bird Collision Corps

Photos: Andy Reago & Chrissy McClarren

Ruby-throated Hummingbird

Yellow-bellied Sapsucker

Cedar Waxwing

Tennessee Warbler

White-throated Sparrow

Nashville Warbler

Dark-eyed Junco

American Robin

Mourning Dove

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Creating change at home or in your community

MINIMIZE LIGHT POLLUTION

Brenna Marsicek

Done IN COMBINATION with glass mitigation�

  • Timers or turn off
  • Point lights down, shielded
  • Use bulbs 2200K or lower, never higher than 2700K
  • Close window shades

​

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Make changes at home & help solve the problem!

Goal: Reduce transparency + Reduce reflectivity

Brenna Marsicek

1. Target problem windows first

2. Find a style you like

4. Put on outside of glass

5. Repeat if necessary

Stunned Nashville Warbler by Terrie Howe

3. Follow the 2” rule*

Olav Malvik

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Creating change at home or work

INSECT SCREENS

Goal: Reduce transparency + Reduce reflectivity

Brenna Marsicek

(1)

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Creating change at home or work

TEMPERA PAINT or OIL-BASED MARKERS

Goal: Reduce transparency + Reduce reflectivity

FLAP Canada

Susan Frikken

variable

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Creating change at home or work

DOTS / GRIDS

Goal: Reduce transparency + Reduce reflectivity

Brand Smith

(7+)

Brenna Marsicek / SoWBA

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Creating change at home or work

*PARACORD / ZEN / BIRD SAVER CURTAIN

Goal: Reduce transparency + Reduce reflectivity

Susan Frikken

Susan Frikken

(5)

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What doesn’t work (or not as well)

1. Silhouettes or singular shapes

3. Putting treatment on inside of glass

2. Decals spaced out more than 2”

Pinney Library photos: Brenna Marsicek

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Thinking about habitat & feeders

Shihmei Barger 舒詩玫

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3’ or 30’ rule

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More resources

swibirds.org/prevent-collisions: ideas, links to tutorials, and information on preventing window collisions + list of contractors

lightsoutwi.org : information about reducing light pollution. Sign up for lights-out alerts.

sossaveoursongbirds.org: more ways to help birds + events

abcbirds.org/glass-collisions: THE authority on collisions and tons of tools, ideas, resources

swibirds.org/bcc: Bird Collision Corps citizen science in Madison area. Weekly surveys, April 13-May 31.

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Questions?

USFWS

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SoWBA’s Bird Collisions Corps

2018-current, Spring & Fall surveys

Studying bird-window collisions in the greater Madison area

Brenna Marsicek/SoWBA

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Pushing for change�UW-Madison, Ogg Residence Hall

Aaron Williams

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2020

2022

2023

2024

Pushing for change

City & region

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Slowly but surely: New builds

CUNA Mutual , West side

American Family Insurance

Bakke Recreation & Wellness Center, UW Campus

Photos: Brenna Marsicek / SoWBA

“Frit”

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Slowly but surely: Retrofits

Dane County Humane Society, 2025�Kaitlin Svabek

American Family Insurance, 2023�Wayne Rayfield

Dejope Residence Hall, 2024�Brenna Marsicek

Holy Wisdom Monastery, 2023

Amy Alstad