Abstract
Bird window strikes are among the biggest threats to bird life in urban areas. Window collisions can be prevented by breaking up the image on the glass using techniques such as window stickers, but solving the issue of collisions will depend on the widescale uptake of these by people. Because of this, there is a need to understand the human dimension of bird window collisions to effectively communicate both the problem and prevention solutions. Bird Window Strike Philippines (BWSPH) is a citizen science program studying collisions and advocating for prevention in the Philippines.
Because most collision reports are from residential areas, homeowners are a key audience whose motivations and barriers to installing window collision prevention must be understood. I interviewed Filipino homeowners who have experienced window collisions and analysed their responses using Reflexive Thematic Analysis. These show that collisions can be emotionally charged experiences that provide an opportunity for homeowners to empathise with birds. Interviews also showed that barriers to installing include losing the view, practical considerations (i.e. cost, access, effectivity of the prevention), and the homeowner’s mental model of collisions as a conservation issue. Audience segmentation was explored using the Stage Model Behaviour Framework based on the insights shared by each homeowner. Behaviour interventions are suggested for each homeowner sub audience.
BWSPH had the opportunity to organise a pop-up exhibition about window collisions. This exhibition aimed to introduce the problem of bird window strikes to a Filipino audience through didactic and participatory elements, including interpretive panels, taxidermied bird skins, and window replicas with collision prevention solutions. These elements supported the central message: “Bird window strikes are a problem, and we can be part of the solution.” The taxidermied birds were included to increase emotive response about the issue. Visitors voted for their preferred collision prevention and were asked what would encourage them to use prevention solutions on their windows. They also filled out comment cards about their responses to and learnings from the exhibition. Visitors showed strong preference for window stickers or external mesh to prevent collisions and expressed a desire for better access and more information about affordable solutions. They also expressed strong emotional responses to the exhibition. This exhibition allowed visitors to share their insights about an unfamiliar conservation issue. From visitor responses to open-ended questions, themes of notable key learnings were identified as: Solutions to collisions exist and humans are responsible; Window collisions are a conservation concern; Awareness and citizen scientist reports can help solve collisions; and Collisions happen more often than we think. Exhibitions about conservation issues are recommended as a valuable tool for co-creating a biodiversity-inclusive city.
The interviews and exhibition provided valuable feedback to suggest content pillars or guides: Emotion & Empathy, Agency & Values, and Community. BWSPH can use these pillars for future social media content, representing the window collision experiences of citizen science reporters and making the platform more relatable and engaging. Future research includes the integration of the Stage Model Behaviour Framework and these content pillars with the communication strategies of BWSPH. These new strategies should be evaluated on how effective these are in engaging the audience and encouraging people to install bird window collision prevention.