Birds Hitting Buildings: Herding Scientists, Architects, and Birdwatchers Towards the Same Goal

Project BirdSafe is a joint effort of multiple organizations to reduce the number of birds killed or injured when they collide with structures in the Twin Cities of Saint Paul and Minneapolis. A major component of this effort... [ view full abstract ]

Project BirdSafe is a joint effort of multiple organizations to reduce the number of birds killed or injured when they collide with structures in the Twin Cities of Saint Paul and Minneapolis. A major component of this effort is a citizen-science based research project to determine what species of birds are most adversely affected by bird-building collisions, what features of buildings lead to increased bird mortality, and during what times of year the birds are most at risk. To answer these questions requires the interaction and cooperation of three different groups of people who are motivated by the same goal (Save the birds!) but come from very different disciplines and backgrounds: scientists, architects, and birdwatchers. In this presentation, we explore the ways that these three groups approach the issue, their proposed solutions, the reasons for their involvement, and the barriers that had to be overcome to craft a single, citizen-science project. We, as the scientists on the project, will describe our efforts and offer suggestions on how to work with these multiple constituencies in a manor that results in good science, good design, and good conservation.