BIRD SAFE INITIATIVE

The Bird Safe Initiative, in association with BirdSafe.ca, is bringing awareness to the issue of birds striking buildings, and is also promoting reporting these strikes to the database on BirdSafe.ca. The program encourages the public to use ways to mitigate this issue. Collisions with glass comprise one of the top three human-caused sources of bird deaths in North America, where it is estimated that 1 billion birds a year die from collisions with buildings.

Nature Regina holds Bird Safe events twice a year, one during Spring migration and the other during Fall migration. The purpose of our events is to bring awareness to the issue of bird–building collisions, and to make the city a safer place for birds by encouraging homeowners and commercial/downtown building owners to focus on their problem windows using existing solutions. Events occur over a 7-day period with volunteers monitoring pre-determined routes in downtown Regina from 6:00 a.m. to 7:00 a.m., collecting data on bird-building strikes and specimens for the Royal Saskatchewan Museum. Initiated in 2021, the program continues to grow and develop thanks to volunteer support and community interest.

Everyone can help mitigate the issue of window collisions and in addition log any bird strikes to a national database on bird collisions called The Global Bird Collision Mapper (GBCM). Information on ways to mitigate your window collisions can be found at BirdSafe.ca and logging collision data can easily be done by clicking the ‘report a collision’ tab on the same website. The information gathered from this citizen science initiative will be used in the future to help make both the residential and commercial areas of our city more bird friendly.

A bird that has collided with glass could have sustained fatal internal injuries that are difficult to spot. Any bird that has suffered a window collision must be taken to a licensed wildlife rehabilitation center for immediate treatment. It is important that you do not provide any food or water to the bird. If you are in the Regina area, contact Salthaven West Wildlife Rehabilitation at (639) 999 - 4957.

For event dates please see our Calendar, or watch for notices in our e-news and newsletter. If you are interested in volunteering, please contact natureregina@gmail.com.


FeatherFriendly® Window Tape


Nature Regina offers Feather Friendly® Window Tape that is easily installed on problem windows to deter bird strikes. Feather Friendly® is recognized, approved and endorsed by both the American Bird Conservancy and FLAP.


In the future Nature Regina hopes to offer a bird collision hotline for members of the community. In the meantime, citizens can access the information provided at www.birdsafe.ca.