City eyes bird-friendly buildings

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This article was published 09/09/2021 (1462 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

GLAZED windows and limits on lighting are options the City of Winnipeg is considering to save birds from flying into buildings.

Approximately 25 million birds die in Canada annually by colliding with windows, according to a study used as part of the city’s research into the problem.

“We’re losing our birds, especially our migratory birds, at a really fast rate,” said Kevin Fraser, a University of Manitoba associate professor who studies the species. “Light and windows are huge threats.”

Winnipeg is part of the Mississippi flyway, a major migration route for birds.

“A really large number of our migrants… are meeting their end with buildings, so anything we can do to reduce the reflectivity of windows… is ultimately going to help bird populations,” Fraser said.

There are also year-round Manitoba birds to protect, he said.

A city public service report recommends Winnipeg adopt the Canadian Standards Association’s bird-friendly design standards, which include installing glazed windows or placing visual markers for birds, on panes 16 metres above the ground and higher, or at the height of adjacent mature tree canopies.

“We don’t want them to think they can fly into a nice patch of habitat when really it’s a solid window,” Fraser said.

The report suggests a “lights out” policy. If passed, top floors of city high-rises would be dark at nightfall.

“Birds are using different kinds of light,” Fraser said. “They’re using starlight, they’re using polarized light at sunset… They’re attracted (to office light) and they’re pulled in from the migration.”

Most birds migrate at night, when it’s cooler and there’s often less wind and fewer predators, Fraser said.

The proposed policy shouldn’t be a safety issue for pedestrians, said Coun. Cindy Gilroy, who chairs the property and development committee. Light used to help Winnipeggers on paths and roadways filters downwards; it will be unaffected.

“If you look up at night, you’ll see many big, taller buildings are all lit up,” Gilroy said. “It’s not environmentally friendly, and it’s not healthy for our… birds and our natural habitats.”

Should the “lights out” initiative happen, city staff will look at birds’ flight patterns and strategically turn off lights in public buildings, Gilroy said. Winnipeg may encourage private businesses to follow suit during migration seasons.

“I just think that in terms of climate change, and in terms of making sure that we are protecting our wildlife, and as we grow our city, this is really important,” she said.

The report recommends the city update its website to provide information for homeowners and businesses about being bird-friendly. It also suggests the city add bird-friendly design to zoning bylaws.

On Feb. 12, the property and development committee asked city staff to create a report on bird-friendly urban design guidelines for a bylaw. Employees looked at legislation across Canada and the United States.

The committee will review the report on Tuesday.

gabrielle.piche@freepress.mb.ca