National Gallery glass a clear and present danger, bird group warns

The National Gallery of Canada's dramatic glass facade may make for aneye-catching Ottawa landmark, but it also kills dozens of birds each year, according to a group trying to reduce the number of avian collisions in the capital.

Safe Wings Ottawa is calling on the gallery to take measures to prevent birds from smashing into its windows. The groupestimates 77 birds died after flying into the gallery's glass in 2016, and another 52 lost their lives last year.

Volunteers have only counted five dead birds so far this year, they say because many of the gallery's windows are currently concealed byscaffolding associated with a window replacement project.

Anouk Hoedeman, the volunteer co-ordinator of Safe Wings Ottawa, believes once the scaffolding is removed, the number of bird collisions will rise again.

Hoedemanscans the perimeter of the gallery twice a day three times a day during spring and fall migrations to check for fallen birds.

Deadly walkway

Recently she found a dead wood thrush, a bird on both the federal and provinciallists of at-risk species.

She said the worst spot is the three-storey glass walkway thatconnects the gallery to staff offices near Nepean Point.

"It's completely clear of trees on either side, and it's near the river and it acts as a funnel for birds flying through toward the river, " Hoedeman said. "An awful lot of them hit the glass and die."

Hoedemanbelieves the birds she and the rest of her group collect represent only a small number of those that actually strike the glass, because many are then scooped up by scavengers such as crows, gulls and even cats. Sometimes gallery staff pick up the stunned birds before Safe Wings can get to them, Hoedeman said.

Little action

Hoedemansaid she's spoken repeatedly with the gallery, and said management is"well aware of the problem."

She said so far, there's been littleaction.

"Nothing ever happens, and I've gotten frustrated with that."

There are two hawk silhouettes on the walkway glass, but Hoedemansaid the decals have been ineffective. Instead, the gallery could apply vinyl dotsthat form a dense pattern on the glass, she said, or wrap technology similar to what's used on some bus advertising.

"You can see right through that material, but from the outside it looks opaque," said Hoedeman. "It wouldn't ruin the view or block the light. It works really well."

Solution doesn't have to ruin the view, advocates say

8 years ago

Duration 0:39

Anouk Hoedeman with Safe Wings Ottawa says the National Gallery could add a mural or a pattern of dots to the glass so birds will see it as an obstacle rather than something they can fly through.

Gallery pondering solutions

No one from the National Gallery was available for an interview with CBC, but in an emailed statement the gallery said it's working on the issue.

"The gallery is looking at potential solutions that could be implemented within its budget," it said.

While she admits some mitigation measures are expensive, Hoedemansaid it's worth the cost.

'You have to balance the cost with the value of our wildlife, and the birds are declining quite rapidly," she said.

Safe Wings Ottawa estimates some250,000 birds died last year by striking windows in the city.