Category Archives: Uncategorized

Commercial Bird Safety Retrofits Very Affordable

Good News:  Bird Safety Retrofits Are Very Affordable At Your University or Local Building October 22, 2025 Summary: You can start your advocacy by showing the bird safety retro fits are very inexpensive. Don’t talk about bird safety in one meeting and get back later with the economic costs. Make this economic argument right upContinue reading “Commercial Bird Safety Retrofits Very Affordable”

Why Lights Out Fails: Effective Bird Protection Solutions Prevent 95% of Bird Deaths

Dr. Jim Cubie, J.D. Consultant Jimcubie1@gmail.com Consultant to the Acopian Center For Ornithology Muhlenberg College Ninety-five per cent (95%) of deadly window collisions can be prevented if a system like Feather Friendly is installed.– according to a survey conducted at the McCormick Center in Chicago. This is 3 times more birds than can be savedContinue reading “Why Lights Out Fails: Effective Bird Protection Solutions Prevent 95% of Bird Deaths”

Explanation of Effectiveness Estimate in Van Doren Journal Article

30% vs 60%  There is confusion about which estimate to use in describing the effectiveness  of the prediction system developed in a study of whether managing window lighting at the McCormick Center in Chicago. I use 30%. Citation:  Drivers of fatal bird collisions in an urban center Benjamin M. Van Doren ,PNAS 2021 Vol. 118Continue reading “Explanation of Effectiveness Estimate in Van Doren Journal Article”

Estimate Of Approximately 20 Million Birds Saved By Collision Prevention Systems For Years Before Lights Out Campaign Started

The purpose of developing this estimate was to provide a baseline which permits us to understand the increased avian mortality if the promotion of the lights out program reduces the utilization of the collision prevention systems. Since light reduction advocacy only asks a building owner to Hi turn off their lights, they will in almostContinue reading “Estimate Of Approximately 20 Million Birds Saved By Collision Prevention Systems For Years Before Lights Out Campaign Started”

Lights Out: A Fatally Flawed Bird Conservation Program

Using lights out to protect birds from deadly collisions is fatally flawed. If one window is shutered birds will just hit lit windows in other buildings.

Experts Warn Native Plant Programs May Cause Ecological Traps

Imagine A Wildlife Refuge That Does Not Protect Its Wildlife Dr. Doug Tallamy, Dr. Daniel Klem and Jim Cubie J.D. Imagine a wildlife refuge that does not protect its wildlife. How could this be possible? It is not only possible, it is likely, unless we take immediate action to prevent it. Unfortunately, many advocates ofContinue reading “Experts Warn Native Plant Programs May Cause Ecological Traps”

Can We Make Native Plants Work For Birds

Bird Friendly Yards Must Start as Bird Safe Yards Will Our Native Plant Efforts Do No Good? By Jim Cubie jimcubie1@gmail.com 8/18/2021 “ This is critical strategic analysis” – leading native plant scientist Dr. Doug Tallamy (An earlier version of this document can also be downloaded at Doug Tallamy’s site) https://homegrownnationalpark.org/guest-posts/window-strikes-and-native-plants-guest-cont ributor “You can’t fillContinue reading “Can We Make Native Plants Work For Birds”

Fable of 10 White Kittens

I have always wanted beautiful long hair white kittens. When my adoption center announced that it had ten, I was there in a New York minute. They were so happy I would adopt 10. “Just a few questions,” they said. “Will you give them a good safe home?” “Of course, I said, but there areContinue reading “Fable of 10 White Kittens”

The Fable of Ten White Kittens

I have always wanted beautiful long hair white kittens. When my adoption center announced that it had ten, I was there in a New York minute. They were so happy I would adopt 10. “Just a few questions,” they said. “Will you give them a good safe home?” “Of course, I said, but there areContinue reading “The Fable of Ten White Kittens”

Turning Off Home Lights Does Not Save Birds

          Turning Off Home Lights Saves Birds? NO Scientific Justification  Dr. Jim Cubie Ornithology Center at Muhlenberg College The Lights Out campaign urges homeowners to save birds by turning off a few home lights. Background This it is claimed, that turning off home lights will help save the “500 million to 1 billion birds killedContinue reading “Turning Off Home Lights Does Not Save Birds”

Summary of Bird Protection and Native Plant Resources at this Site

The purpose of this site is to (1) protect birds from deadly window collisions and (2) promoting safe years so that native plants can benefit wildlife.  The site has had over 4,000 visits. All the information on the site has been reviewed by experts, such as Dr. Daniel Klem and Dr. Martin Rossler. The materialContinue reading “Summary of Bird Protection and Native Plant Resources at this Site”

Cancer, window collsions and cats

The Fallacy of “10 Good Things For Birds” A doctor would never counsel his patients like bird organizations advise homeowners. A two-packs-per-day smoker visits his doctor.  The patient asks, “what can I do to extend my life.”  His doctor will tell him “if you don’t stop smoking nothing else you do will really matter. TheContinue reading “Cancer, window collsions and cats”

Feeders Not Safe at 30 Feet

Erroneous Feeder Placement Advice: 30 Feet Is Actually Less Safe. Dr. Daniel Klem, who performed the basic research related to feeder placement, has explained that placing a feeder beyond 30 feet is not a safe distance.  In fact the risk of death increases the further the feeder is from the window?  Why?  The birds doContinue reading “Feeders Not Safe at 30 Feet”

New National Audubon Native Plant Advice Is A Big Deal

Did you notice the change at the PLANTSFORBIRDS page at National Audubon’s site?  It is very important.  Here’s the new text. “And, if you’re attracting birds using native plants, you will want to ensure that your space is bird-friendly in every way. Visit our Reducing Collisions page to learn more about protecting birds from collisions with glass.Continue reading “New National Audubon Native Plant Advice Is A Big Deal”

Partners, naturally – leading homebuilder promotes native plants

Doreen Cubie // Garden for Wildlife // JUST ABOUT EVERY MORNING, Khushal Habibi walks along the banks of Walnut Creek, a small stream that runs through Skyestone, a 500-home development in Broomfield, Colorado. “It’s a great place for wildlife watching,” says Habibi, a retired U.S. Department of Defense biologist who is originally from Afghanistan. HeContinue reading “Partners, naturally – leading homebuilder promotes native plants”

Protect the Birds You Love to Feed

Just like bringing a pet home from a shelter, we invite birds to our homes by installing nest boxes or feeders.  If you adopt a pet you must show that you will provide it a safe home.  Our birds deserve safe homes. Our Windows are a Major Threat to Birds Birds do not see windowsContinue reading “Protect the Birds You Love to Feed”

Native Plants Popular Design

This is a couple of years old — but is still good news: Native Plants Increase property values. “This past April, the American Society of Landscape Architects released its 2018 Residential Landscape Architecture Trends Survey, a members’ annual rating of the expected popularity of design elements. For the sixth year in a row, native plantsContinue reading “Native Plants Popular Design”

Environmental Laws Are Christian Based

Our modern environmental laws are founded on the Christian values of the culture in which our system of laws was developed. Because some environmentalists hold non-Christian world views, some Christians, especially evangelicals, see modern environmental laws as rooted in pagan values. They are not.  They are rooted in a system of law developed in a deeply ChristianContinue reading “Environmental Laws Are Christian Based”

Native Plants for Birds: It’s A Different Strategy

I am a strong supporter of native plants for birds. The native plant promotion system we developed in our club has been very successful – 45% of members have planted native plants. It is also at this site: https://ornithologycenter.com/freeplans/ Doug Tallamy warns that native plants can create “ecological traps.” He calls on those of usContinue reading “Native Plants for Birds: It’s A Different Strategy”

What Buildings Cause Most Deaths?

The Answer — Option 2 !! see below- source follows ABSTRACT “Bird–building collisions in the United States: Estimates of annual mortality and species vulnerability”,  Condor, Volume 116, 2014, Based on 23 studies, we estimate that between 365 and 988 million birds (median ¼ 599 million) are killed annually by building collisions in the U.S., withContinue reading “What Buildings Cause Most Deaths?”

Bird Friendly Must Start With Bird Safe or Native Plant Efforts Will Fail.

Will Our Native Plant Efforts Not Help Birds? “This is critical strategic thinking” Doug Tallamy. Deadly window strikes may offset any gains from native plantings.