Problem Addressed

Glass is one of the most prolific materials found in urban areas. Unfortunately, birds cannot see glass and it is estimated by the British Trust for Ornithology that up to 33 million birds die in the UK each year from collisions with windows. Many current solutions to this problem are highly visible to humans which negatively affects customer acceptance.

Solution Overview

BirdShades has developed an innovative window-film which is invisible to the human eye but is highly visible for birds. Their technology is based on a bird-specific ability: most birds have the ability to see UV light. For humans, this part of the light spectrum is not visible. BirdShades can significantly reduce the frequency of bird-window collisions, protecting species and improving biodiversity. The window-film has been tested in a number of scientific setups with three studies published in peer-reviewed journals. One of these studies showed a reduction in collisions of up to 80%. BirdShades’ window-film is self-adhesive and can be applied to float glass by professional window film installers.

Unlike other products, BirdShades places great emphasis on scientific validation of its effectiveness. Their bird protection window film was developed and meticulously tested by a team of dedicated biologists and material scientists. BirdShades’ innovations are driven by their passion for evidence-based research under ecologically relevant conditions, and they regularly perform product optimisation and seek cooperations for scientific research studies. While other products on the market can mitigate bird-window collisions, BirdShades is the only invisible option. Visibility can affect customer acceptance and adoption making BirdShades the only solution which does not alter a building’s aesthetics.

BirdShades is focused on integrating their technology into common commercial production processes which enable them to scale up quickly to provide their product to a growing global audience. It is currently available at selected window film installers across Europe.

Case Study

After noticing an alarming number of bird collisions and fatalities, The University of Bialystok in Poland installed 300 square meters of BirdShades’ window-film on their mathematics department’s façade. Data from before installation showed a large number of collisions and a 25% fatality rate. Post installation monitoring showed a 90% decline in collisions with only a handful of fatalities recorded during the monitoring period. The study will continue through 2024 to determine long-term effectiveness.

Facts and Figures

80 %
87 %
4-8 %

This page presents data, evidence, and solutions that are provided by our partners and members and should therefore not be attributed to UKGBC. While we showcase these solutions for inspiration, to build consensus, and create momentum for climate action, UKGBC does not offer commercial endorsement of individual solutions. If you would like to quote something from this page, or more information, please contact our Communications team at media@ukgbc.org.

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