Three ways to make your property bird friendly
Simple changes to your home and habits can make a big difference in protecting our migrating birds
We all have a role to play in protecting the birds that visit our homes.
Building on this guest column, I wanted to explore how we can reduce the dangers birds face in our own backyards. Did you know that residential buildings are responsible for 44% of bird-window collisions? But windows aren’t the only threat, cats, and cases of highly pathogenic avian flu are also on the rise. In this article, I’ll outline three practical steps you can take to make your home more bird-friendly and help protect our feathered friends.
1. Making your windows bird safe
We might often think of birds hitting high-rise buildings. But a majority of bird window collisions are happening at the treeline level. The windows reflect the natural environment which confuses birds, causing them to strike glass, unaware it was even there.
An estimated 25 million birds die each year in Canada from collisions with glass.1
Surprisingly, the solution here can be cheap and easy to install: window decals. Researchers have discovered that by placing decals 5cmx5cm apart, you can create a “visual barrier” that’ll make birds think they can’t fly through.2
2. Turn off outdoor lights
Each year, thousands of migrating birds are disoriented by city lights, leading to collisions with buildings and windows. By adjusting how we light our homes and workplaces, particularly during peak migration seasons in spring and fall, we can help reduce these hazards and keep birds safe.
The Audubon Society recommends3:
Turn off exterior decorative lighting
Extinguish pot and flood-lights
Substitute strobe lighting wherever possible
Reduce atrium lighting wherever possible
Turn off interior lighting especially on higher stories
Substitute task and area lighting for workers staying late or pull window coverings
Down-shield exterior lighting to eliminate horizontal glare and all light directed upward
Install automatic motion sensors and controls wherever possible
When converting to new lighting assess quality and quantity of light needed, avoiding over-lighting with newer, brighter technology
You can also reach out to your local elected officials and building/property managers to raise awareness and encourage them to reduce outdoor lighting for the safety of birds. The Audubon Society has provided the following templates to assist you:
3. Keep cats indoors
Domestic outdoor and feral cats kill an estimated 100 million birds annually in Canada.4 While many municipalities across Ontario and the country have enacted bylaws prohibiting free-roaming cats, these regulations are often ignored.
While keeping cats indoors may seem harsh, it's important to remember that cats are not native to North American ecosystems. Domestic cats disrupt local bird and small mammal populations, often killing indiscriminately, rather than for survival.
Allowing cats outdoors can expose them to several risks as well. Predators like coyotes, are a serious concern, as well as potential vehicle collisions.
Cats can also encounter parasites and diseases, or suffer injuries from fights with other animals. Additionally, outdoor cats can face human-related dangers, such as poisoning or getting lost.
Keeping cats indoors helps protect them from these threats and supports the local wildlife they may otherwise hunt.5
A note about Avian Flu and Bird Feeders
Avian Flu continues to be a considerable threat to Ontario, and cases will likely increase as the spring migration returns. So far in Canada, we’ve seen 3,459 cases of suspected or confirmed Avian Flu in wildlife6, and 14,470,500 cases in domestic birds.7
If you have bird feeders on your property, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency says the risk of transmission at bird feeders is unlikely, and the risk of an outbreak in the species that typically visit feeders also unlikely.8 But the CFIA still recommends:
To minimize the risk of transmission of HPAI virus, do not feed waterfowl, gulls, or other water birds
Do not handle or feed any wild bird by hand
Remove bird feeders from areas that are open to poultry and other domestic animals
If you care for poultry, prevent contact between wild birds and your animals by removing exterior/outdoor sources of food, water, and shelter that attract wild birds
Be sure to clean your backyard bird feeders and baths regularly, at least every two weeks, using a solution of one part household bleach to nine parts water. Ensure that they are well rinsed and dried before re-use
Regular cleaning practices are essential for infection prevention and control, as various other pathogens are known to spread at feeders (e.g., trichomonas, salmonella, and avian pox)
Suspected cases of avian flu should be reported to the Canadian Wildlife Health Cooperative. If the bird or animal is still alive, it’s best to contact your local animal services department or a licensed wildlife rescue and rehabilitation center.9
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Government of Canada, Release of the State of Canada’s Birds 2024 Report, October 2024, https://www.canada.ca/en/environment-climate-change/news/2024/10/release-of-the-state-of-canadas-birds-2024-report.html.
National Park Service. Bird Collisions Handbook. U.S. Department of the Interior, National Park Service, 2020, https://home.nps.gov/orgs/1252/upload/Bird-collisions-handbook.pdf.
National Audubon Society, "Lights Out," Audubon, accessed January 30, 2025, https://www.audubon.org/our-work/cities-and-towns/lights-out.
Government of Canada, Release of the State of Canada’s Birds 2024 Report, October 2024, https://www.canada.ca/en/environment-climate-change/news/2024/10/release-of-the-state-of-canadas-birds-2024-report.html.
Krista Williams, BSc, DVM, CCRP; Cheryl Yuill, DVM, MSc, CVH, “ Cats and the Perils of Outdoor Living,” VCA Canada, accessed February 01, 2025 https://vcacanada.com/know-your-pet/cats-and-the-perils-of-outdoor-living
Canadian Food Inspection Agency. "Avian Influenza Dashboard." Last modified January 30, 2025. https://cfia-ncr.maps.arcgis.com/apps/dashboards/89c779e98cdf492c899df23e1c38fdbc.
Canadian Food Inspection Agency. "Avian Influenza (Bird Flu) Situation – Ongoing Response." Last modified January 11, 2025. https://inspection.canada.ca/en/animal-health/terrestrial-animals/diseases/reportable/avian-influenza/latest-bird-flu-situation/status-ongoing-response.
Government of Canada. "Avian Influenza in Wild Birds." https://www.canada.ca/en/environment-climate-change/services/migratory-game-bird-hunting/avian-influenza-wild-birds.html.
In an emailed statement to Random Photo Adventure Chronicles, Karen McDonald, Senior Manager, Restoration & Infrastructure at Toronto and Region Conservation Authority.