Testing Raptor Decals: Scientific Evidence on Bird–Window Collisions

_{This YouTube video was produced by The Cornell Lab of Ornithology.}

Learn more about bird-friendly solutions: https://www.stopbirdcollisions.org/

Many people believe that a single raptor silhouette decal can keep birds from flying into glass. But science tells a different story.

In this video, watch a controlled tunnel test where live birds are given the choice between clear glass and glass marked with a single black decal. The result? Birds fly straight toward both, proving that a single decal does not deter collisions. (Don’t worry: all birds are safely caught in a net at the end of the tunnel.)

To truly protect birds, windows need to be treated with patterns across the entire surface, using solutions like dots, stripes, or films spaced two inches apart.

Every year, more than 1 billion birds die in North America from collisions with glass. But with the right solutions, these deaths are preventable.