As birds return to Quebec, many face deadly hazards

May is peak birding season in Quebec with multiple species flying north for the spring and summer.

May is peak season for birds returning back to Quebec looking for food and nesting spots, but it’s also been one of the busiest times for the staff at Le Nichoir, a wild bird rehabilitation centre in Hudson.

In the last few weeks, biologist and education director Elise Laferriere said they’ve seen a steep increase in the number of birds injured by window collisions.

“Some of them will hit the window, fly away, and then fortunately passed after a few days from their injuries, and then some of them are found injured and brought to our center,” she said.

Birds that are brought in are checked for eye ulcers and neurological damage, typical injuries from window collisions according to Laferriere. She said 90 per cent of collisions occur with homes not large buildings. Cat attacks are another major cause of deaths and injuries.

“We estimate that 100 million to 350 million birds are attacked each year in Canada by cats, and for window collisions, it’s 25 million birds that hit windows each year,” she said.

There are simple ways to prevent collisions such as putting decals on the outside of the window or using paint or UV liquids that are visible to birds. Cat owners are advised to keep their cats indoors or use leashes or cat patios when they are outside.

Many injuries can be healed. Le Nichoir has successfully rehabilitated thousands of birds over its history. On Thursday morning staff were releasing some yellow-bellied sapsuckers and a northern flicker back into the wild.

“This is the best part of the job,” Laferriere said. “The releases.”