• Welcome to Global Bird Rescue

    October 3 – 9, 2022

During the peak of bird fall migration in North America, an estimated 4 billion birds will navigate built environments as they travel southward to their wintering grounds. Millions of birds will not arrive at their destination due to a fatal collision with a building. You can help ensure these birds survive their journey! Join us for Global Bird Rescue (GBR) from October 3 – 9, 2022, an annual event hosted by FLAP Canada designed to raise awareness about bird-building collisions and to inspire home and workplace bird-safe retrofits across the globe.

GBR 2021 Total Entries

GBCM Total Entries

Global Bird Rescue uses the Global Bird Collision Mapper (GBCM) to document bird-building collisions worldwide. Each year, during the first week in October, teams and individuals take to the streets to search for birds that have collided with buildings in their community, to social media to raise awareness about this conservation issue, and to make their own windows bird-safe.

We encourage you to search for birds in order to increase the chances of a successful rescue, but preventing these collisions is GBR’s ultimate goal.  You can help make this event a global success by joining GBR today!

Global Bird Rescue Information

© Alice Sun

Everyone is welcome to participate in this event!

Each year at the beginning of October, GBR participants are encouraged to search their communities for bird collisions and document these encounters. There is no minimum time requirement to participate during this event.

Each GBR Participant will need to register on the Global Bird Collision Mapper. You can find detailed information on how to use the Mapper and how to register, on the Global Bird Collision Mapper Tab.

GBR Manual
GBCM Tutorials
GBR Postcard for print

There are a few ways you can participate. The two typical ways are either as an individual or as part of a team who go out to look for birds. A team within the Mapper allows multiple users to submit collision reports under the same team name. This allows the team to easily sort and see their data. Other ways you can participate include making your home, cottage or work windows bird-safe, or helping us spread the word.

An individual

Please register on the Global Bird Collision Mapper.

A Team

Each team member who plan on reporting collisions will need to register on the Global Bird Collision Mapper. If you are looking to create a new GBR Team please fill out the GBR Team Registration Form.

If you are a bird collision monitoring group using your own reporting system, please consider sending bulk data to us after the event instead of having to duplicate your efforts during the busy fall season. Check out this template that explains the fields required for the data.

To join a GBR Team, please email your username to mapper@flap.org, as members need to be added manually.

GBR Team Guidelines

  • Help us promote the event! If you would like the official GBR 2022 Promotional Package, send an email to mapper@flap.org
  • On social media or during media interviews refer to yourself as “GBR Team – [Team Name]”
  • Use #GlobalBirdRescue to share your GBR stories

Make Your Windows Bird-Safe

The best way to reduce collisions and save migratory birds is to make your windows bird-safe. To do this you will need to apply visual window markers to the outside of your windows. To be the most effective these visual markers will need to follow these guidelines:

  • Full coverage on the outside of the window
  • Highly contrasted to the transparent or reflective glass surface
  • No smaller than 6mm in diameter
  • Placed every 2 inches horizontally and vertically to protect even the smallest of birds like hummingbirds

These visual markers can be products already available, or home made! As long as they follow the guideline above they will help save birds lives. Check out flap.org for available products and other ways to make your home safe for birds.

Spread the Word

The simple act of sharing a post, or speaking to friends, family, neighbours or coworkers about the issue and the event can go a long way!

If you would like the official digital GBR Promotional Package please send an email to mapper@flap.org.
Follow us on social media to see our posts about Global Bird Rescue.

Partnering with

Sponsored by

Special thank you to Juniper Park\TBWA for designing the Global Bird Rescue Logo.

2022 GBR Teams

Toronto, Canada

2022 GBR Promotors

Help Support Global Bird Rescue

Charitable Registration No. 12345 6789 RR0001

Follow a manual added link

Petition: Update Ontario’s Building Code to Save Birds

Sign the petition for the MMAH to incorporate the CSA standard into the Building Code to save the lives of millions of birds.

Follow a manual added link

@birdcrash_bot

The @BirdCrash_Bot Twitter account is set up to automatically retweet any tweet from around the world that mentions a bird hitting a window. This allows for immediate replies to those looking for guidance with an injured bird, and  information for making windows bird-safe.

Follow a manual added link

BirdCast – Migration Forecasts

Bird migration forecast maps show predicted nocturnal migration 3 hours after local sunset and are updated every 6 hours. Colorado State University and the Cornell Lab of Ornithology currently produce these forecasts.

Have questions? Check out our FAQs

AllFound a bird?GBCMGlobal Bird Rescue

Global Bird Rescue will take place October 3rd through the 9th, 2022.

The goal of Global Bird Rescue (GBR) is to raise global awareness on the issue of bird-building collisions. GBR objectives include the following:

  • To rescue as many birds as possible that have collided with buildings throughout the 7-day event
  • Create a united front of initiatives focusing on the issue across the globe
  • Contribute to research through community science
  • Demonstrate bird collisions aren’t a localized issue, everyone is involved
  • Record collision data for all forms of human-built structures with glass and/or night lighting.
  • To inspire policy, standards, legislation, building code and ordinance development

First and foremost birds! Mainly through policy, standards, legislation, building code and ordinance development. Many victims of collisions will get an increased chance of survival from being rescued by participants.

As a participant, you benefit through protecting bird species in your area that protect our natural environment. You also help benefit the world through helping protecting bird species that control insect populations, pollinate plants and distribute seeds.

FLAP Canada developed and launched GBR in 2018 and is the central contact for this event. FLAP Canada was the first organization in the world to focus on the issue or bird-building collisions helping place the issue on the bird conservation map. For over 25 years FLAP staff and volunteers have worked to safeguard migratory birds through research, education, policy development, rescue and rehabilitation.

FLAP Canada is exploring the potential for a fundraising component in the near future.

First and foremost, Global Bird Rescue is an awareness campaign on bird-building collisions. Participants are to refrain from any fundraising activities associated with this event or other projects. FLAP Canada plans to develop a fundraising component for the campaign in the near future.

Anyone can participate in this event! We encourage participants to engage their friends and family to help raise awareness about Global Bird Rescue. You can participate either as a team (community, organization, institution, office, government body, etc.) or an individual (home/cottage owner, business owner, employee, etc.)

The more people participating, the bigger the difference we’ll make!

Please see the “How to Participate” tab above.

The Global Bird Collision Mapper is an online geo-mapping tool designed for registered users to report the locations of bird-building collisions across the globe. One can enter these records from their laptop, tablet or mobile device. The details of each report can be seen by anyone who visits. More details can be found on the “GBCM” tab above.

The Global Bird Collision Mapper is an international bird collision database designed to help better understand where and to what degree collisions are occurring. There are currently over 77,000 recorded entries in the Mapper. Your participation in Global Bird Rescue will not only help demonstrate the magnitude of the problem, it will also help inspire further development of effective preventative measures and standards designed to protect bird species.

For details on how to use the Global Bird Collision Mapper check out the “GBCM” tab above. There is also a playlist of video tutorials on our YouTube account, FLAP Canada.

To create a GBR Team in the Global Bird Collision Mapper, simply fill out the Team Registration form. We will create the team and add members for you. Once individuals are added to a GBR Team, they can submit reports independently, or under the Team name.

You can find a list of cities with current GBR Teams on the “Find a GBR Team” tab above. Consider creating your own GBR Team if one does not already exist in your region.

Yes! Once you have a personal account on the Global Bird Collision Mapper, you can be part of multiple teams.

  1. For questions regarding Global Bird Rescue and the Global Bird Collision Mapper (accounts, registering, groups, etc) please email mapper@flap.org
  2. For general questions regarding bird safe practices and bird-building collisions, you can visit flap.org or email us directly at flap@flap.org.

Every bird that you manage to rescue is a bird that otherwise would not have made it. The collision reports that you contribute will directly fuel research that aims to safeguard bird species. This research will not only go to inspiring bird-friendly standards and policies, it will also go towards developing bird-deterrent solutions for home and business owners alike. Additionally, every person that you share this event with can help raise awareness about the critical and little known issue of bird-building collisions.

The only tool that is essential for you to participate in GBR is a computer or cell phone with internet access. A camera to take photos of each bird you encounter is encouraged for identification purposes.

The Global Bird Collision Mapper is a web-based application that can be accessed from your home or on the go. Login to this application when you see a bird that has collided with a building.

Here is a list of additional tools that will come in handy to safely catch and transport injured birds when out patrolling in your neighbourhood:

  • Non-waxed brown paper bags in various sizes
  • Paperclips or binder clips
  • Nylon net with tight mesh to prevent snags
  • Roomy backpack or larger bag for carrying bagged birds
  • Camera to take pictures of birds
  • Phone numbers of local wildlife rehabilitation centres
  • Plastic gloves for handling birds

You can find more information in the GBR Manual.

Follow us on our social media accounts: Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. Please share this event on your social media and to your friends and family. Consider posting photos of the birds you rescue and use #GlobalBirdRescue. The idea of this campaign is to reach as many people as possible and raise awareness about the issue of bird-building collisions. Refer people to this website for more information about the event and what they can do to save bird species.

To help increase awareness and follow Global Bird Collision Mapper entries as they happen, you can add the below two widgets to your website. Simply copy and paste the code from the Mapper Widget Code pdf into the body of your website index file.

Mapper Widget Code

To help increase awareness and follow Global Bird Collision Mapper entries as they happen, you can add the below 2 widgets to your website:


Simply copy and paste the code from the Mapper Widget Code pdf into the body of your website index file.

To learn how to create an account with the Global Bird Collision Mapper, follow the steps described in the following instructional video:

 

When registering as a GBCM user, it can take up to 20 minutes to receive a verification code. Be sure to check your junk mail if the verification code doesn’t arrive.

If you are still having issues with registering, please send us an email at mapper@flap.org.

To enter a collision record, you need to be logged into your account. Once logged in, follow these instructions on how to report a collision:

You are not required to identify individual bird species to report collisions. In fact, we discourage entering a species name unless you are skilled at bird identification. If you are unsure on the species you can leave the “Species” section blank, this will leave it as “unknown”. When entering a species name, begin typing it in, and then please click on the name once it pops up in the drop-down menu.

We do encourage including a photo of the bird for the purpose of possible identification at a later time.

If you wish to familiarize yourself with bird species to aid with identification, there are several excellent bird identification guides available for purchase at your local bookstore. The Peterson Field Guide to the Birds of North America and National Geographic Field Guide to the Birds of North America are both good guides. In addition, the Cornell Lab of Ornithology has a phone app called Merlin Bird ID, which is able to identify the possible species of a bird with a photo.

Accurate bird identification helps provide accurate data. Including a photo of the bird you found in your collision report helps us achieve this goal. This allows us to separate details such as sex, species at risk and most frequently encountered species.

If you cannot find your location on the Global Bird Collision Mapper consider trying these solutions:

  1.  The GPS accuracy of the ‘find my location’ button may be poor. Consider clicking this button again to see if it improves.
  2. If you still cannot find your location, consider entering the street address of the building the bird was found at in the search bar in the top right corner of the map.
  3. If you do not know the address, consider zooming in manually on the map by clicking anywhere on the map or using the zoom function located on the left side of the map.
  4. Is the building missing from the map? Try the other basemaps available in the bottom left corner . The satellite map tends to be the most up to date.
  5. Check out our tutorial on how to report a collision.

The side of a building is important because a building can have multiple sides and facades. By indicating which side of the building the bird struck, you are helping to identify the highest collision risk areas for birds.

Explore different basemaps when you can’t locate a building on the default topographic map. The satellite map tends to be the most up-to-date map. The options for basemaps is located in the bottom left corner.

Currently you can only edit one of your entries within 30 days of creating it. Once you have found the specific report you want to edit on the map, you can select the report and click the small edit button in the bottom left corner.

If you accidentally made an entry and want it deleted, simply click on “Report an issue” at the bottom of your collisions report and fill out the form, or email mapper@flap.org with the details of the specific report and we will delete the record for you.

To access your collision reports, you can either locate your report on the map, or search for your entries under “Explore the Data”. Enter your username into the “From a specific observer” bar. Once you have pressed enter, your reports will show up on the map and you can either click on them individually or scroll through them in the total reports.

You have up to 30 days to modify a collision record after initial entry. If the 30 days has passed and you need the report edited or deleted, please click on”Report and Issue” at the bottom of your collision report and fill out the form. You can email us at mapper@flap.org with any questions.

To ensure the accuracy of a collision location, locate the building on the map where you found the bird. This can be done in one of two methods:

  • enter the address of the building into the Find address or place box in the upper right-hand corner of your screen.

OR

  • click the Use my location icon at the top left-hand corner of the Report Collision form. Click this icon 2 or 3 times to assure accuracy.

Once you have located the building on the map, identify the side of the building where the bird was found and zoom in to a closer magnification before clicking on the map to enter you record.

You will find that pressing the ‘Find my location’ icon isn’t always accurate. To ensure you are entering a collision record at the correct location, consider entering the building address into the ‘Find address or place’ field located at the top right of the site.

A newer building may not show on the map, change the basemap to satellite to find the building.

If the submit button at the bottom of the Collision Report is greyed out, and you are unable to submit your report try these solutions:

  1. Make sure the location has been selected at the top of the report. You should see coordinates listed, if you do not, simply click on the map where the collision took place, a red circle will appear on the map indicating a collision location has been selected.
  2. If you have filled out the report fully but see this message at the bottom of the collision report:Simply zoom in on the map until the submit button is functional. The GBCM wants to verify the collision location by ensuring the user has zoomed into the map enough to reduce the chances of selecting an inaccurate location.
  3. If you have filled out the entire form, try retyping in the species name and select it again.
  4. If none of these solutions work, please email us at mapper@flap.org with the issue you are encountering and we can try to find a solution.

To learn how to explore Mapper data, follow the steps offered in the following instructional video:

If you are trying to upload a photo and is rotated and cropped showing black bars, try taking the photo in the landscape position (turning your phone to the side) and try attaching the photo again.  If you encounter this issue, or have a new issue with the Global Bird Collision Mapper, please send us an email at mapper@flap.org.

Birds collide with windows all hours of the day and primarily during spring and fall migration. To a migratory bird, glass is invisible and is therefore a lethal obstacle. Daytime collisions occur when birds see the exterior landscape reflected in windows or they see beyond the glass to interior vegetation. Where windows meet at the corners, or line up with each other front and back (i.e., glass walkways, solariums, greenhouses), birds perceive this as a clear passage and try to fly through to the trees they see on the other side.

Nighttime collisions occur because most species of songbirds migrate at night. The night lighting used in dense urban areas confuses migratory birds, and especially on foggy or rainy nights when cloud cover is low.

When searching for bird-building collisions at your home or in your community, FLAP Canada recommends you keep the following tips in mind:

  • First and foremost, respect private property and don’t put yourself at risk of injury
  • Birds generally fall within 1.5 meters (5 feet) of a building’s base
  • Birds are difficult to see on the ground when they fall into vegetation or onto rock piles
  • Injured birds are known to seek cover by tucking themselves in corners at the base of buildings
  • Be sure to look up and through transparent overhangs for those birds that fall onto ledges
  • Look for building facades with large panes of uninterrupted glass
  • Properties with treed landscapes tend to attract more birds
  • Neighboring green spaces such as parks and ravines attract even more birds
  • Birds often collide on sides of buildings less traveled by humans
  • See-through effects such as linkways, skywalks, transit shelters, solariums, noise barriers, large glass lobbies and glass corners are also lethal to birds
  • Look for feather smears on glass. This can often be the only sign that a window collision ever occurred
  • Look for clusters of feathers on the ground. This is usually an indicator that a collision victim’s body has been scavenged by a local predator

When a bird hits a building it needs a quiet, dark, safe place to rest and recuperate. If you find a bird on the ground by a building, gently place the bird inside an un-waxed paper bag or a small cardboard box. Handle the bird as little as possible. Make sure that the bag or box is closed. If you’re using a cardboard box, poke a few air holes so the bird can breathe. Use clean tissues or paper towels, rolled into a donut shape, as a perch for the bird to sit upright. Never feed the bird or give it water.

As birds that collide with glass can sustain internal injuries that hard difficult to spot, we recommend that all injured birds be taken to your local wildlife rehabilitation facility for assessment. Try the below links to find a facility near you:

Ontario, Canada:

Ontario Wildlife Rescue

Canada:

Humane Society of Canada

United States:

State Agency Lists of Permitted Wildlife Rehabilitators

Animal Help Now

Tragically, an estimated 65% of birds that collide with buildings die on impact. Instead of leaving the bird to be scavenged or stepped on, consider contacting a local museum, university, college, or educational institute to see if they would be interested in obtaining specimens for research purposes. Deposit the bird in a Ziploc bag and place it in a cool location until it can be transported to an interested party. If you are unable to pass the body off for research purposes, check with state or provincial laws regarding disposal. Otherwise, place the bird in a trash container where it will be out of the reach of children, pets or scavengers.

A community scientist is a member of the general public who engages in scientific work, often in collaboration with professional scientists or scientific institutions. Community scientists may work alone or in teams, and in the case of Global Bird Rescue, will be gathering bird-building collision data for use in scientific studies.