Some years tiptoe. Others loudly reveal patterns you didn’t see before. For me, 2025 was the year the bird-glass collision issue truly revealed its global scope.
Thanks to the work done by Dr. Peter Saenger, we now know that collisions have occurred in more than 90 countries, involving over 1,800 species. These numbers reveal a pattern that spans continents, ecosystems, and flyways, indicating that birds worldwide are facing the same invisible threat. As awareness continues to grow, people in more regions are seeking solutions that are proven and grounded in science.
Yet another victim of a window collision. Over 90 countries have now reported this issue.
That collective momentum enabled Feather Friendly to expand into 48 countries. Let me be clear – this reach wasn’t driven by any strategy to grow; it came from people around the world recognizing the need to act and asking for support in doing so.
The Strongest Progress Came from People Coming Together
What stood out most this year wasn’t the projects; it was the partnerships that led to those projects.
Across North America, conservation groups, volunteers, architects, and institutions worked with a shared purpose. In the US, organizations such as Bird Safe Philly and Lights Out Cleveland continued to expand their impact, strengthening monitoring programs and community outreach in a manner that set an example for other cities.
In Toronto, years of persistence from FLAP Canada, Nature Canada, and Never Collide helped move a major retrofit at Royal Bank Plaza into reality. Their advocacy is now becoming visible on the skyline, as 94% of the building’s façade up to 16 meters is treated to protect migratory birds.
Feather Friendly markers are now saving birds in over 48 countries
The same energy was evident in universities, museums, design firms, and municipal agencies – a wide circle of people who care deeply about birds and are ready to act.
Evidence Has a Way of Rallying People
This year brought some of the clearest monitoring results we’ve ever seen, and they reminded us why this work matters.
At Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse, home of the Cleveland Cavaliers, installation of Bird Divert UV markers led to a 79% reduction in spring collisions, down from an average of 224 birds to just 47. These results were made possible by years of patient data-gathering from Lights Out Cleveland volunteers.
Feather Friendly and Bird Divert have proven how effective they are in real-world projects
In Chicago, McCormick Place continued to demonstrate the power of large-scale retrofits, maintaining a steady reduction of around 95%. Decades of work by the Field Museum’s Dave Willard helped turn that building into a global benchmark.
Such incredible results have a way of becoming news worldwide. They influence architects, planners, and policymakers in cities far from the original sites, providing conservation organizations with evidence to stand on. This is why 2025 was also a year of numerous international bird-safety projects.
Multiple Solutions Made Us Stronger
As the work spread across different climates and building types, the need for varied, science-aligned options became more obvious.
This year brought vital developments to our repertoire of solutions. Feather Friendly Evolution introduced a new level of durability and environmental responsibility to our Pro line, designed to endure 40 migrations and perform in all weather conditions. Our partnership with Bird Divert UV went from strength to strength, with UV-based options continuing to meet diverse design needs.
Bird Divert UV markers are almost invisible to the human eye
We also established a partnership with Solar Gard Saint-Gobain, making the WingSafe Black Dot full-film solution part of the portfolio. As with conservationists united by a single purpose, these tools also don’t compete with each other; they work together to support a wider range of buildings in becoming bird-safe.
WingSafe Black Dot in action
Local Voices Connected to Global Reach
As awareness grew outside North America, it became clear that lasting change depends on people with deep local understanding — people who can carry the message into their own communities with authenticity.
This year, we introduced the Strategic Avian Conservation Partner role to grow awareness and facilitate action worldwide, and welcomed three worthy people in this role:
• Faraaz Abdool in Trinidad & Tobago, whose photography and storytelling connect conservation to culture and place.
• Anouk Hoedeman in the Netherlands, whose leadership in collision prevention continues to influence policy and practice across borders.
• Ann Fu in the Pacific Northwest, whose blend of design, art, and wildlife education brings fresh perspectives into public conversations.
Hope Grew Where People Showed Up
I firmly believe that hope comes from positive action, and we saw it often this year.
Our sponsorship of World Migratory Bird Day helped support a growing global effort to make cities safer for birds. Becoming a member of and then being featured in the U.S. Green Building Council Member Spotlight brought bird-safe design into new sustainability conversations. In cities across the continent, volunteers walked their routes, architects asked new questions, and communities pushed for safer standards. These actions form the backbone of this work.
Looking Ahead with Purpose
Next year marks Feather Friendly’s 20th anniversary. To me, it feels less like a milestone and more like a moment to take stock of the people who have shaped this work. Scientists, conservationists, architects, installers, volunteers, and homeowners have left their mark on these two decades through the buildings they’ve changed and the birds they’ve helped protect.
If this year made anything clear to me, it’s that progress doesn’t move linearly. It moves through relationships, shared goals, and the persistence of people who care enough to keep showing up.
The sense that this collective effort is still growing is what fills me with optimism as we head into 2026.
