WEICan Implements and Evaluates New Bird-Safe Infrastructure Technologies

By Rolla Elzuhairy, Renewable Energy Systems Intern

At the Wind Energy Institute of Canada (WEICan), we’re always looking for small ways to make a positive impact, both in our research and in the environment around us.

A thoughtful gift of Friendly Feather marker tape from a visitor to our site sparked an idea at WEICan.  As a research facility, we saw an opportunity to evaluate practical solutions for reducing bird-window collisions. With that in mind, we recently implemented several bird-friendly measures around our facility and will be monitoring their effectiveness over time.

These include UV hawk decals surrounded by UV liquid dot patterns, which are visible to birds but remain subtle to people, and Feather Friendly marker tape, a pattern of small markers that helps birds recognize glass as a solid surface rather than open sky. Where these solutions can’t be safely installed, we’ve also added a decoy owl, which encourages birds to steer clear of the building by mimicking a natural predator, and reflective bird deterrents that create movement to catch birds’ attention.

Finding the right solution has taken a bit of trial and error. We’re seeking to balance effectiveness, cost, longevity, installation effort, and aesthetics. Weather and changing conditions can affect what works best. We’ll continue testing new approaches and making small improvements to help create a safer space for the birds around WEICan.