Ogg Bird Strike Mitigation

Students worked with UW Housing and Campus Planning Landscape Architecture staff to install dots on the windows of Ogg Residence Hall in June 2020 after a citizen science effort, the Bird Collision Corps, identified it as a hotspot on campus for bird collisions with glass. The dots, which make the windows more visible, have reduced bird deaths by 90%. This hallway connecting the two halves of the building was particularly dangerous for birds because the windows on both sides make it appear as if it was a clear flight path. The trees in the courtyard attract birds and give them a reason to want to fly to the other side of the hallway. This pilot location contributed to a policy change at the UW and City of Madison level. Bird-friendly glass is now the standard for all new construction and renovation projects 10,000 square feet or larger. In February 2024, the City of Middleton passed a matching ordinance, expanding the area of bird-safe building design in the Madison area.