Montreal's Saint-Laurent borough takes action to reduce bird collision deaths
Montreal's Saint Laurent borough hopes that a new bylaw will help bird populations thrive and that preventable deaths in the aviary world will decline.
The borough adopted a bylaw on June 25 "to reduce the risks of bird collisions with glass surfaces on new buildings."
"Birds play an important role in ecosystems, not only as pollinators and seed dispersers, but also by helping to control pests," the borough said in a news release. "That's why Saint-Laurent has decided to take concrete action to protect birds on its territory."
Buildings with more than 50 per cent glass or windows on exterior walls will require special treatment for new constructions or renovations.
The following categories apply:
- Multi-family dwellings
- Multi-family service dwellings
- Multi-bedroom dwellings
- Industrial, retail or service buildings
- Buildings in a park or green space
For greenhouses and other exterior walls that are 90 pe cent glass, a "detailed special treatment" will be required.
"This treatment not only reduces the reflectivity of the glass surface, and, consequently, the risk of bird collisions, but also makes the clear glass more visible," the borough said.
Additional regulations are required for sites that include a greenspace or are next to one.
The borough also gave tips for Saint-Laurent residents to help protect birds including the following:
- Cover windows with visual markers to make them more visible to birds
- Install external screens, sunshades or shutters
- Use collision-prevention products such as self-adhesive tape or dots, oil-based paint markers, etc.
- When renovating windows, choose bird-friendly patterned glass or materials designed for bird safety
- Place feeders less than one metre from windows
- Keep houseplants as far away from windows as possible to reduce the risk of attracting birds to them
- Close blinds or curtains to minimize the view through windows on opposite sides of the house
The Government of Canada says 16 to 42 million birds are killed per year from colliding with windows. In the U.S., that number is as high as 988 million.
"Most birds die on impact, but even birds who survive the initial impact will often be left with life-threatening injuries," the Canadian government said. "Collisions may result in concussions, shock, internal bleeding, broken bones or brain damage. Injured birds can have a harder time feeding and also make for easier prey."
The government said that because glass is not a natural material, "birds do not understand that reflections of trees or sky are not real."
The government says that if you find a bird next to a building and it's not moving, it needs to be brought to a bird rehabilitator and taken away from light, noise, people and predators. The advice is to calmly approach and pick it up the bird quickly with both hands before placing the bird in an unwaxed paper bag or box with breathing holes.
For more information, contact the Global Bird Collision Mapper.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
![](https://www.ctvnews.ca/polopoly_fs/1.7030020.1725828794!/httpImage/image.png_gen/derivatives/landscape_800/image.png)
'Beautiful in its own way': New forest emerges in Jasper National Park, bringing protection and new opportunities
Charred stumps and the remains of fire-ravaged trees still cover large tracts of land on the Jasper landscape, but life is returning quickly down below.
Bloc Quebecois ready to extract gains for Quebec in exchange for supporting Liberals
The Bloc Québécois says its ready to wheel and deal with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's party for support during confidence votes now that the Liberal government's confidence and supply agreement with the NDP has ended.
Dog mauled to death in B.C. yard after 3 pit bulls jump fence: police
A 12-year-old collie was killed by three pit bulls in the B.C. Interior Sunday morning, according to authorities.
video ‘Not checking out yet’: Woman with incurable cancer vows to keep fighting
Heather Appleton just renewed her passport for another ten years. “I’m not checking out yet,” said Appleton, 61, who has the incurable cancer, Multiple Myeloma.
Trump threatens to jail adversaries in escalating rhetoric ahead of pivotal debate
With just days to go before his first and likely only debate against U.S. Vice-President Kamala Harris, former U.S. president Donald Trump posted a warning on his social media site threatening to jail those “involved in unscrupulous behavior” this election, which he said would be under intense scrutiny.
'It's morally wrong': A rural Alberta town reacts to homeless shelter closure
At the end of a side street in Slave Lake, Alta., Lynn Bowes looks at a grey job-site trailer with boarded-up windows and doors that once operated as her town's only homeless shelter.
Over 200 firearms seized in weapons investigation: Waterloo Regional Police
According to police, during a traffic stop in Waterloo, officers noticed firearms and ammunition inside the vehicle.
Military surplus store in Calgary, destination of celebrity shoppers, closing doors
Cher, Anthony Hopkins, Heath Ledger, Alec Baldwin and Tom Hardy are just a few of the celebrities John Cumming met while growing up in his family's military surplus store.
Slide over salsa: K-pop takes socialist Cuba by storm
Socialist Cuba, the birthplace of salsa and other rhythms that have conquered the world, is now surrendering to the invasion of South Korean pop music.