News Release

Windows confuse birds. Zion National Park is doing something about it.

Ranger looks at window treatment in Zion National Park.

NPS / Lizz Eberhardt

News Release Date: May 13, 2022

Contact: Jonathan Shafer, [phone]

SPRINGDALE, Utah – Ever heard a thunk on a window or door and found a dazed or dead bird on the ground outside your house?  We have. That’s why Zion National Park is applying a new treatment to building windows that will make glass more visible to birds. This year, in observance of World Migratory Bird Day, we want to share more information about it. 

“Birds’ eyes don’t work like ours. Plus they can’t read the structural cues like door frames or decks that we take for granted to watch out for glass,” Adam Reimer, Zion National Park biologist, said. “What they do see is a reflection of their natural habitat in the window. It’s part of our mission to protect birds in the park, and lots of visitors enjoy seeing them. That’s why we’re using a new technology that makes it easier for birds to see glass before they hit it.” 

This technology takes advantage of birds’ ability to see ultraviolet light. The small plastic circles are transparent to people, but because they reflect ultraviolet light, the treatment makes windows more visible to birds. 

Zion began treating windows in 2020, and this work is part of a long-term project to treat all the windows in the park. You can learn more from the US Fish and Wildlife Service about making the glass in your home easier for birds to see, and learn about birds in Zion using our new Feathered Treasures virtual museum exhibit.