Date: 10/14/26 4:51 pm From: Russell Benedict via groups.io <BenedictR...> Subject: Re: [NEBirds] window strike victims UNL campus
A quick response to the bird strikes at windows on UNL's campus. Here at Central College (Pella, Iowa), we have addressed the problem of window kills by installing large window stickers purchased from CollidEscape (https://www.collidescape.org/). The project was a collaboration between a biology professor and an art professor and students from both of these majors. Art students designed the artwork, biology students wrote the grant proposals and installed the stickers, with help from the professors. For one of the buildings, we had alumni vote on which of several art designs to use, as a means of increasing education about bird strikes. Both sets of windows (see attached photos) cost roughly $2200, which was funded by grants; these costs included the rental of a lift to install the stickers. We received press coverage for one of the projects, and we also installed signs near the windows to explain the stickers. Bird mortality at these windows has dropped to nearly zero, and the response of the campus has been overwhelmingly positive. The stickers change the view from the building interior, darkening it slightly, but the impact is tolerable. Our administration went along with the project since it was marketed as an interdisciplinary, educational project, and, of course, it cost them nothing. Furthermore, our custodial staff loves the stickers because they reduce the need for frequent cleanings of the outside of the windows. If you want additional information, contact me at <benedictr...> Russ Benedict, Pella, Iowa.
Russ Benedict
Professor of Biology
Director of Prairies For Agriculture Project
Department of Biology, Central College
812 University Street | Campus Box 09 | Pella, Iowa 50219
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From: <NEBirds...> <NEBirds...> on behalf of Thomas Labedz via groups.io <telabedz...>
Sent: Saturday, October 3, 2026 1:37 PM
To: <NEBirds...> <NEBirds...>
Subject: Re: [NEBirds] window strike victims UNL campus
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Campus Birders and others,
In the June 2020 Nebraska Bird Review I summarized window mortalities of 87 bird species on the UNL city campus. The paper is available on Digital Commons (link below).
Over my many years at UNL I found it very, very difficult to get any but the lowest levels of admin to even acknowledge there is a problem. There is a transient population (students) on campus and I think the admin knows if they can postpone action long enough the noisemakers will be gone. In my paper I go building by building with descriptions of what is going on. This situation is not unique to UNL, it occurs everywhere in the world, is documented in many places, continues to be documented, and has likely happened as far back as humans putting windows in buildings. My only success, and I'm not really sure it wasn't already in play, was when I suggested bird-safe glass on the new engineering building at 17th & Vine and the engineering link to Nebraska Hall. Unfortunately, that glass was installed only at second floor and up levels. The ground floor was left with standard glass, fatal glass. While engineering was using bird-safe glass, athletics was not when building at the same time. I was finding dead birds before that construction was completed. A past impediment to getting better designs was the arrogance of architects who didn't want anyone interfering with their artistic creativity. Also, biology, ecology, and many natural science classes are not required by architecture programs. Thankfully, over the years, that has changed and research into bird-safe glass has advanced enormously. There is no reason bird-safe glass can't be considered for glass facades on buildings. That includes the upcoming renovations of that great temple on campus, the temple where many Nebraskan go to worship seven or eight times a year and seem very willing to contribute a tithe. The athletic department seems to have deep pockets and will likely only do what maximizes its profits. But yes, apply pressure.
I have dissected and prepared research specimens from over 1000 window strike birds. Here is what happens as they die. NO, there are no broken necks. Yes, there is severe concussion and interna-cranial brain bleeding. Light hits that leave the birds active and alert likely will recover, that is unless the campus cats get them first (they encourage campus cats with feeding stations, but that's another bird death story). More severe hits that do not kill the birds, birds leaning to one side, swollen eye(s), unable to stand, or otherwise debilitated are likely undergoing a brain bleed that is putting pressure on the brain. These likely will not survive on their own, the pressure will continue to build until neural function ceases. These likely will not do well in captive care either. But I am not a veterinarian. This is a spectrum of injury and I think swamping wildlife care facilities might increase pressure to change windows and reduce the mortality. Really severe hits result in broken beaks, fractured skulls, broken coracoids and sternum, and sometimes dislodged internal organs. Even in these severe hits the neck does not break, it is held in an S shape in flight and flexes with the impact.
I'm not great at using social media, but think it might help in gaining awareness. As might linking with campus organizations at other schools to bring collective pressure to the architects and construction companies. UNL has administrative offices that approve and supervise construction on campus. By isn't bird-safe glass required on all new and remodel work on all campuses?
Thomas Labedz, Lincoln
PS - That yellow rail would have been a lifer for me, but not how I want to see one.
On Sat, Oct 3, 2026 at 10:31 AM Moni via groups.io<http://groups.io> <musasz...><mailto:<neb.rr.com...>> wrote:
Horrible news from Memorial Stadium. Thanks for documenting it. Very important first step.
Some other thoughts regarding getting the word out and changing light use on campus.
How about getting those photos out on social media, including where they were killed. Make sure to include FB for the older folks.:) Would be good if we could figure out what to ask people to do??
Sustain UNL is a campus group that had several students working on this issue last year. Might check with them. Write a letter and send it as a letter to the editor to the Daily Nebraskan and the Lincoln Journal-Star. I know that’s old school but old people still read the paper.
Make an appointment with the AD. Talk to Matt Rhule. Research other campuses. There might be some great examples of lighting stadiums without harming migrating birds. It would take a group of us to do all these things. But who better than birders to do it. Count me in.
Moni
p.s. If I could get the photos and the list, I could send this on to Sustain UNL. I know at least one young woman there.
Thanks Tobin and Brody for the reply and a huge thanks to everyone who is documenting this grim situation and attempting to mitigate it! It's shocking that 40 victim compilation pic is from a single building! Perhaps a story in the Daily Nebraskan featuring Ian's eye-opening pics would help to raise awareness for this plight and desperately needed action? Lincoln probably should join the national Lights Out campaign for nights with high migration numbers predicted on Birdcast as the night with this mass mortality event was.
