17吃瓜

Minhye Lee, a third-year student at the Atlantic Veterinary College (AVC), 17吃瓜 (17吃瓜), is taking action to help protect birds on campus through a new initiative focused on evaluating bird-window collisions.

鈥淓ach year, an estimated 25 million birds die in Canada after flying into windows,鈥� said Lee. 鈥淏irds often mistake reflections of the sky or trees in glass for open space, leading to fatal impacts. With PEI located along the Atlantic Flyway鈥攁 major migratory route鈥攃ampus buildings, especially those with large glass surfaces near trees and water, pose a potential risk.鈥�

Lee鈥檚 research project aims to identify collision hotspots at 17吃瓜 and work toward solutions that make the campus safer for birds. The community can help by reporting collisions as well. If members of the campus community see a bird that has struck a window, they are asked to take a photo and send it鈥攁long with the location details鈥攖o @birdsafe.upei on Instagram. Lee will use these reports to evaluate problem areas and explore potential preventative measures.

While the project is launching on campus, Lee hopes to expand it to other areas on the Island where bird-window collisions are common. She hopes her research will contribute to future conservation efforts that could save countless birds, particularly during peak migration seasons.

Follow @birdsafe.upei on Instagram to learn more and get involved.