28 September: Toronto-based conservation photojournalist Patricia Homonylo has been awarded the prestigious international title of Bird Photographer of the Year for her striking image titled “When Worlds Collide.” This powerful photograph, featuring 4,000 dead birds encircling a wild turkey, highlights the devastating impact of bird collisions with glass windows—a preventable tragedy that Homonylo is dedicated to raising awareness about.
The birds, collected by volunteers from the Fatal Light Awareness Program (FLAP) Canada, represent just one year’s worth of casualties from a few city blocks in Toronto and Mississauga. The volunteers arrange these bird bodies annually in a poignant display, referred to as the “bird layout,” to honor the birds that have died. Homonylo captured the scene by positioning herself high above, emphasizing both the beauty and the tragedy of this preventable loss.
“I want people to be shocked and angry,” Homonylo said. “I want them to demand action from their governments for bird-safe cities.” According to Environment Canada, up to 42 million birds die from window collisions annually, a problem that FLAP Canada has been documenting for years. The U.S. sees even higher numbers, with up to 988 million birds dying from similar collisions.
Michael Mesure, co-founder and executive director of FLAP Canada, explains that the two main threats birds face from buildings are the transparency of glass, which makes birds believe they can fly through, and the reflective properties of windows that mirror the surrounding environment. These factors make window collisions the second-leading cause of bird deaths in Canada.
While these deaths are tragic, Mesure believes the solution is straightforward and effective. Simple interventions, such as applying markers to windows, can reduce bird deaths by up to 90%. In Toronto, bird-friendly development guidelines were introduced in 2007, and these standards have become models across North America. However, Mesure stresses the importance of retrofitting existing buildings, where most bird collisions occur, with bird-safe solutions.
Homonylo’s photograph and her advocacy underscore the urgent need to take action to protect birds from this easily preventable danger.
