Paying to protect birds: Residents’ economic valuation of bird–window collision prevention

Collisions with windows are a leading cause of bird mortality. Numerous bird–window collision deterrents have been developed, yet little is known about people’s willingness to adopt bird-safe windows. We examined people’s willingness to pay (WTP) for bird-safe windows at their home and the perceived importance of numerous collision deterrent attributes, including cost. Using experimental survey design with multiple valuation methods, we sampled bird enthusiasts (n = 2,854) and the general public (n = 2,054) in the United States and Canada. Results indicate that bird enthusiasts and the general public both perceive cost as the most important factor influencing their adoption of bird-safe windows. However, 75% of respondents in our bird enthusiast sample and 52% of respondents in our general public sample were willing to pay for collision deterrents at their home. Depending on how WTP was measured, the average amount that bird enthusiasts and the general public were willing to pay ranged from 55.65–70.50 USD per square meter to 46.72–77.82 USD per square meter, respectively. For bird enthusiasts, a higher WTP was associated with greater perceived impact of collision deterrents, an intention to adopt bird-safe windows, and higher income. General public respondents who identified as a birder, had observed collisions in the past, or expressed an intention to adopt bird-safe windows also reported a higher WTP. Collectively, results indicate perceived cost may be the greatest barrier to people’s adoption of bird-safe windows. However, the average cost of many collision deterrents (20.70 USD per square meter) is notably lower than the average price our respondents would be willing to pay, suggesting collision prevention may be more affordable than many people perceive. The gap in perceived versus actual cost of collision deterrents revealed an important opportunity for enhanced communication and potential promise for actual purchasing behavior across different audiences to protect birds.