Vogel Savior fights against fatal glass traps: protective measures urgently needed!

Kurt Wilhelm kritisiert Gefahren für Vögel durch gläserne Wartehäuschen in Kaiserslautern und schlägt Schutzmaßnahmen vor.
Kurt Wilhelm criticizes dangers for birds through glass waiting houses in Kaiserslautern and proposes protective measures. (Symbolbild/ANAG)

Vogel Savior fights against fatal glass traps: protective measures urgently needed!

Recently, worrying incidents have occurred at a bus stop in Kaiserslautern. Kurt Wilhelm, operator of a bird sanctuary supported by the city, has found several dead blackbirds there. These birds are particularly at risk in the courtship period because the glass walls of the stop are a fatal danger. Wilhelm criticizes that his suggestions to protect the blackbirds have so far been ignored. It is particularly alarming that blackbirds often fly at a flight altitude of about half a meter, which makes it vulnerable.

Wilhelm criticizes the attachment of the bird of prey silhouettes on the glass walls. These are positioned too high and are shown in a climbing position, which is unfavorable for birds. In order to reduce collisions, he suggests provided the glass surfaces with sandblasted stripes. He argues that free -standing waiting houses are more dangerous for birds than those attached to house walls.

statistics on injured birds

Wilhelm has overcome over 4,500 birds in his reception center since 1988. This impressive number includes a variety of species, with the blackbirds being the second most common bird species with a total of 434 well -groomed specimens. In the first place are the wall sailors, to whom 491 crashed animals can be assigned, followed by 350 injured tower falcons. The ancestor of tower falcons often happens through crowds in church towers, which is due to the high density of the nests in these areas.

Wilhelm's commitment to the protection of injured wild birds began rather by accident. After a conversation about an aviary, he found an injured Dompfaff man on the street. He maintained this in his aviary, and it was impressive that the Dompfaff could later whistle parts of Beethoven's ninth.

bird protection by Enlightenment

The dangers that come from glass for birds are well documented. The aim of a publication under the leadership of the Swiss bird'ser is to raise awareness of this problem. The studies show that glass is dangerous in two ways: transparent slices are often not recognized as an obstacle, while strongly reflective slices reflect natural elements that attract birds.

In order to reduce the risk of collision, tested bird protection markings are recommended that make the glass visible. However, markings in the UV area and birds of prey are not very effective. Tests have shown that solutions with stripes and points are particularly effective. In addition, the brochure recommends avoiding transparent or strongly reflective glass for new buildings in order to reduce the effort for subsequent protective measures. This early planning can not only save costs, but also protects the birds from fatal collisions.

The situation at the bus stop in Kaiserslautern is not just a local, but a problem that requires everyone's attention. Kurt Wilhelm hopes that the responsible bodies will soon take on the necessary measures to protect the birds.

Further information can be found on the pages of the Wildvogelhilf and the Federal Office for Nature conservation .

Details
Quellen