Campus-born advocacy for bird-safe windows grows

Window collisions are one of the biggest threats to wild birds. The American Bird Conservancy said they account for up to a billion deaths a year in the U.S. and Canada. But it is one problem with a straightforward solution: strategically designed window decals, high-contrast designs with close spacing, that help birds recognize glass as a solid surface.

In 2025, a collaboration among Boise State's School of the Arts, the Intermountain Bird Observatory and the City of Boise brought student-designed window decals to the Library! at Cole & Ustick - a change that's already making life better for neighborhood birds.

Bird-safe decals installed at the Library! at Cole & Ustick. Photo by Luan Teed

"We love it and have seen a substantial decrease in bird strikes," said branch manager Renee Addington. "It's been a great addition to our building. The mural reflects the library's landscape and feels as if it were part of the building's original design."

Eryn Pierce, an assistant professor of graphic design and a leader of the project, said that a new round of decals, also designed by a student team, are going up at Boise State's Ron and Linda Yanke Family Research Park on Parkcenter Boulevard and at the Library! at Bown Crossing. A grant from the College of Innovation and Design, plus volunteer hours from Facilities, Operations and Maintenance, will support the Yanke installation. The Bown Crossing installation is city-funded.

Eryn Pierce prepares vinyl window decals to deter bird strikes. Photo by Priscilla Grover.

Another business gets on board

The large wall of west-facing windows at Napa Auto Parts in downtown Boise creates intense summer heat. It's also a danger zone for birds.

"When a bird hits the window, it's rarely just one bird. It's off-putting to customers," said Zach Darbin, store manager.

He was considering tinting the windows to deflect the heat, but realized an opportunity to help birds, too. The mother of one of his employees had seen the news about the Boise State, Ustick library partnership. She suggested that Darbin reach out to Pierce and Heidi Ware-Carlisle, education director of the Intermountain Bird Observatory, who began studying the bird strike issue years ago. Darbin is now working with them to plan window decals for bird safety that will block the heat at the same time - a win-win.

"For us, it didn't make sense to address one issue without addressing the other," Darbin said.

And onward

Pierce's advocacy for birds continues, including another community project to provide bird safety kits for 5th graders in Idaho City using vinyl leftover from campus projects. She has received calls from residents as well as other universities interested in the window project. She has shared her expertise about writing proposals and raising awareness. The efforts of Pierce and others on campus have landed Boise State on a database devoted to bird-safe campuses.

The Yanke building is a start. Pierce hopes for more. Production of vinyl decals is labor-intensive. She's looking for more local participation, sponsorships and collaboration opportunities on campus and beyond.

"That's my big hope. That we'll keep doing good work and something will happen."

Vinyl decal prep is labor-intensive, but worth the effort. Photo by Priscilla Grover.

More background

Read "Reflection to protection: Good design can save birds" to learn about how bird advocacy at Boise State began.

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