What is a Bird Strike?
Photo of Tree Swallows by Forrest Shimazu
Since 1970, nearly 1 out of 3 birds in the US and Canada has vanished. Window collisions are one of the leading causes of bird deaths in the US, accounting for an estimated half a billion dead birds a year. Birds cannot easily distinguish windows, and other reflective glass surfaces from the sky. On Brandeis’ campus, 42 species have died as a result of injuries sustained from striking glass windows and glass bridge walkways.
One way to prevent birds from striking windows is to reduce the reflective surface with a dotted vinyl decal.
How is Brandeis Preventing Bird Strikes?
During Brandeis Year of Climate Action (2023-2024), the Leonard Bernstein Festival of the Arts chose to launch an initiative that would blend climate action and artistic expression. The Festival organizers invited Brandeis undergraduate students to submit designs for a bird strike window decal.
Forrest Shimazu '24 won the competition! His decal is installed on Shiffman Hall–the building is located on Brandeis’ upper campus.
Photo of the Bird Strike Decal on Shiffman Hall by Professor Colleen Hitchcock
The design features images of 30 species of native birds to New England based on Forrest’s personal photographs over the years, along with the quote “ North American bird populations have declined by nearly one-third in the last 50 years...Don't let the rest fade away...”. This striking data point inspired his design.
Forrest chose to display 100 birds on the decal, with 4 panels on the left featuring 70 birds, and 2 panels on the right featuring 30 birds to represent the ratio of the data on bird population decline. The 30 birds on the right panels fade into the distance to represent the decline in the population. Through this decal, Forrest hopes that the other 70 birds depicted will not have the same fate.
This pilot program was sponsored by Arts Engagement, Environmental Studies, the MakerLab, and the Year of Climate Action.