Overview
North American bird populations have declined by nearly 30 percent since 1970. Birds play a critical role in sustaining healthy ecosystems and human communities by providing pest control, pollination, seed dispersal, and cultural and economic value. While habitat loss, deforestation, and pesticide use remain significant drivers of decline, building-related threats—particularly window collisions—are among the most preventable causes of bird mortality. Scientists estimate that up to one billion birds are killed each year in the United States after colliding with buildings, making this one of the leading human-related causes of avian death.
These bird deaths are preventable.
Decades of scientific research demonstrate that bird–window collisions can be significantly reduced through bird-friendly building design, lighting management, and landscape practices. These solutions directly align with National Audubon Bird Friendly Campus certification goals, particularly those addressing collision reduction, responsible nighttime lighting, and safe migratory passage. Increased availability of bird-safe materials and growing federal level legislation addressing the issue create a timely opportunity for action.
Texas A&M University defines sustainability as the efficient, deliberate, and responsible stewardship of environmental, social, and economic resources to protect our planet for future generations of Texas Aggies, the Texas A&M community, and beyond. In support of this mission, the university offers numerous degree programs in environmental and conservation-related fields and promotes the preservation and use of native plants and trees across campus.
The Bird Friendly Campus Working Group which includes representatives from conservation advocacy NGOs, Texas A&M University, local government, students and others is working together to advance policies and practices that protect birds on our campus throughout all phases of their life cycle, including breeding, migration, and overwintering.
Select media recognition by our local team is outlined below.
- Heather Prestridge – Audubon Newsletter April 2023
- Skyler Nix – Texas Conservation Alliance Blog May 2023
- Heather Prestridge – Agrilife Today August 2023
- Skyler Nix – The Battalion April 2024 also selected for Best of SNO
- Skyler Nix – Agrilife Today April 2024
- Heather Prestridge – Agrilife Today September 2024
The City of College Station supports this important conservation effort and on August 10 2023, the Mayor signed a Proclamation for Lights Out Nights during peak migration. The City then took further measures to promote other bird friendly practices and was designated a Bird City by Texas Parks and Wildlife and Audubon Texas in January of 2025. On December 4, 2024, a coalition of students, faculty, staff alongside NGO partners led by Texas A&M University Undergraduate student Skyler Nix ’25 sent a communication to our University Leadership to express their concern over the increasing rates of bird-window-collisions on our campus. Please read the letter here. A follow-up story was posted by our local newspaper The Eagle and picked up by numerous others. The letter was received by the University Presidents office and a positive response from that office was communicated the following day.
Bird strikes from campus have been monitored during peak migration in collaboration with Texas Conservation Alliance since 2023 and in 2025 a map of these strikes was produced. The team utilizes the modeling site BirdCast to recognize expected migration traffic data including the expected number of birds in flight, flight direction, altitude and expected species that will be passing through. These data will be useful in identifying buildings most in need of retrofitting as well as architectural components that are most dangerous to birds. REPORT A DEAD BIRD ON CAMPUS BIRD HERE. Facilities coordinators guidance is available at LOCS Reporting Protocol.
Following several meetings with campus leadership, Texas A&M University has committed to crafting and implementing new design standards for architecture, lighting and landscaping that will include bird-friendly considerations. In addition, Texas A&M Agrilife supported the installation of Feather Friendly bird collision deterrent markers on the Agrilife Building, one of the most dangerous buildings for birds as documented by the collision surveys.
Through these coordinated efforts, Texas A&M University demonstrates leadership in bird conservation and sustainability, positioning the campus to meet—and exceed—the standards of a certified Bird Friendly Campus while protecting wildlife and enriching the campus environment for generations to come.
Examples from other colleges:
- Penn State – Bird-Friendly Penn
- University of British Columbia – Green Building Action and Bird Friendly Design Guidelines for Buildings
- University of Pennsylvania – Bird Friendly Design Standards
- University of Washington – Bird Friendly Design Standards
- Yale University – Bird Friendly Building Initiative and YouTube film
Resources
- American Bird Conservancy – excellent resource with information about lighting, bird friendly design, and a database of bird friendly products and solutions. ABC also collaborated with the Yale Law School to produce this report – Building Safer Cities for Birds.
- Dark Sky International – resource and information for Responsible Outdoor Lighting.
- National Fish and Wildlife Foundation – offering funds for retrofitting buildings to include bird-friendly design.
- United States Fish and Wildlife Service – site offering a Bird-Friendly Campus Toolkit plus information about funding for retrofitting projects via their Urban Bird Treaty Grant.
Supporting Partners
- Audubon Texas
- Defenders of Wildlife
- Rio Brazos Audubon
- Texan by Nature
- Texas Conservation Alliance
- Texas Master Naturalists
