The simple act of making windows more visible to birds has the power to save the lives of countless avian allies. In Zion National Park and Cedar Breaks National Monument, reflective glass surfaces present a hidden danger to birds, leading to dozens of collisions each year. Now, through the Windows for Wildlife initiative, Zion is taking a stand to make its iconic visitor centers safer for its avian inhabitants.
“Protecting birds from window collisions is a non-controversial issue with simple solutions,” shared Adam Reimer, Project Lead. “Small actions can have a huge impact.”
Annually across the nation about 1 billion birds die after striking glass surfaces. Birds often mistake reflections of trees and skies in windows for real habitats, leading to fatal impacts. In Zion, surveys have revealed that untreated windows at park buildings account for most reported bird deaths. The Windows for Wildlife project focuses on treating 1,700 square feet of glass surfaces at Zion’s and Cedar Breaks’ busiest visitor centers, reaching a critical milestone of 50% of all windows treated across the park.
The solution? A cutting-edge UV-reflective window film called Bird Divert, designed to make glass visible to birds while remaining nearly invisible to the human eye. This innovative technology has already been installed on several buildings in Zion, dramatically reducing bird strikes.
“This project will achieve in days what would otherwise take years at current capacity,” Reimer explained. “It’s about building momentum, not just here, but across the National Park Service.”
