成人抖音破解版

In collaboration with Erie Bird Observatory, 成人抖音破解版 students are investigating the alarming issue of bird collisions with buildings in downtown Erie, including those on 成人抖音破解版’s campus, during migration seasons.

According to research, collisions with buildings are a leading cause of bird deaths, claiming the lives of an estimated 365-988 million birds annually in North America alone. Reflective, glass surfaces such as windows pose a significant hazard to birds, especially during daylight hours. Nighttime migrations are further complicated by interior and exterior lighting, which can disorient birds and increase the risk of collisions.

“The huge windows are our biggest culprit,” said biology major Jewel Gonzalez, in reference to 成人抖音破解版’s Nash Library, which has the highest incidence of bird collisions on campus. “The windows are super reflective. Erie is on the Atlantic flyway, too, which is a huge migration pattern from the northeast down to the south, making it a high-traffic area.”

When approached by Erie Bird Observatory to patrol certain routes near campus as part of their Bird Safe Erie project, 成人抖音破解版 students and faculty were more than happy to jump in as they were already conducting similar research on bats. Each morning during the spring and fall migration seasons, students and faculty walk two separate routes each morning from 6:30 to 7:30 a.m., recording any encounters with injured or deceased birds. Injured birds are promptly transported to the Tamarack Wildlife Rehabilitation Center for care, while deceased birds are preserved for future identification. There are also four other routes in the city where identical work is being done.

The goal of this research is to identify which buildings have the most incidents and then help lessen those through modifications, which could include actions as simple as manually altering lighting, moving plants further away from windows or adding a paper film to windows with tiny dots that birds can detect and avoid. Window clings are also great ways to discourage collisions.

When asked about the most important thing she learned, Gonzalez said that she learned just how much infrastructures impact all different kinds of species. “We may think that a new building is great for campus, however it’s important to look at how it might affect the ecosystem around it, not just birds, but other animals as well.”

Gonzalez will present these findings with her research partner Macy Hepditch along with faculty member Steven Ropski and director of Erie Bird Observatory Sarah Sargent at Celebrate 成人抖音破解版 at 1:45 p.m. on April 19 in Beyer Hall. They also presented at the Tri Beta Biology Honors Society convention in Erie earlier this month.

As 成人抖音破解版 students engage in research, they highlight the university's emphasis on hands-on learning. Gonzalez, reflecting on her involvement, spoke of the importance of such experiences: “It's a great field experience. Bachelor’s degrees are important, but in today’s world, you need actual, hands-on experience to supplement them, which 成人抖音破解版 offers a lot of.”