Why are birds important?     

Birds are important to us for many reasons.  Poets praise them for their beautiful songs and gentle nature, but they are also important for other reasons.  Birds are an essential part of a viable ecosystem.  There is a bird species to fill nearly every level of the food chain.  Some bird species keep populations of small rodents and insects in check, and others distribute seeds and pollinate flowers.  Take the Evening Grosbeak, which eats about fifty thousand caterpillars over the course of a summer.  Without birds, some insects would multiply out of control, causing serious damage to wild plants and agricultural crops alike (Birds and Buildings 2008).  Birds are also important for ecotourism, and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service estimates that almost forty-eight million Americans enjoy bird-watching (CNN 2007).  

What is happening to bird populations?

Recent studies by Stanford biologists estimated that approximately ten percent of all bird species will be extinct by the year 2100.  The myriad causes include habitat loss, climate change, disease, and competition with invasive species (Schwartz 2005). With such a huge decline expected from ecological stressors, we have to do something about these caused by collisions with buildings!  Current estimates are that collisions account for between  a hundred million and one billion bird deaths in the United States.  Urban sprawl has degraded natural bird habitats, and the birds that remain take refuge in urban green patches.  Some of the most opulent areas may pose the greatest threat to birds, because of the large glass windows on homes.  High glazing from reflective glass during the day, and illumination behind the glass at night both cause collision problems for birds (CNN 2007). In short, we need to take McDonough's words seriously, and start designing with birds in mind now, because we cannot spare another bird.

How does UNC fit into this problem?