New Taipei City implements bird-friendly bus stops to prevent window collisions

The New Taipei City Animal Protection and Quarantine Division, in collaboration with the Taiwan Raptor Research Association, has upgraded nine bus stops with bird-friendly glass designs. The initiative aims to reduce the risk of birds colliding with transparent surfaces, a phenomenon known as window strikes.

Statistics from the Animal Protection Division indicate that approximately 9 percent of annual wild bird rescue cases, or about 125 incidents, are related to window collisions. Affected species include common birds like the Oriental Dollarbird and Spotted Dove, as well as protected species such as the Crested Serpent Eagle.

To mitigate this, the new designs utilize regular dot patterns with spacing of less than 5x5 centimeters to increase glass visibility for flying birds. The glass also features artistic totems of 15 common local bird species alongside bilingual educational text. Experts note that high-density patterns are more effective than single silhouettes in helping birds recognize glass as a physical barrier.