On a morning stroll through midtown Atlanta with my wife, I started noticing something -- dead birds. The first was a Yellow-bellied Sapsucker. It was fresh. A block or two away there was another dead bird. This time it was a Swainson's Thrush. Like the first, it had not been dead long. Before long and without really searching, I found a half dozen birds of four species. They were just there on the sidewalks or in the landscaping. People walking by seemed not to notice the birds. And if they noticed the crazy guy taking iPhone photos of dead birds, I wasn't aware.

Most songbirds migrate at night. This increases the time they have for daytime foraging to fuel the next leg of their journey. reduces the risk of dehydration and exposure to predators, and generally reduces exposure to wind. Unfortunately, nocturnal migration comes with a host of hazards that are relatively new in the evolution of birds. The most harmful is collisions with structures, such as buildings.

A study published in 2024 estimated that 1 billion birds die annually from collisions with buildings. Most deaths occur during fall migration. Kaitlyn Parkins, co-author of the study, stated: "Birds generally cannot see or recognize glass. When they see vegetation or the sky reflected in windows, they perceive it as habitat and do not know there's a barrier in the way that they cannot fly through."

There are some things that can help reduce bird deaths. Turning lights off in and on buildings along with bird-friendly glass or glass coverings are important steps in the right direction. American Bird Conservancy's Bird-Friendly Building Design outlines actions for buildings large and small.

Migration is a tough time for birds, but it important part of their annual cycle.