Tencent HQ adds dots to reduce bird strikes

To reduce the number of birds dying after hitting glass-covered buildings, Chinese technology giant Tencent has started to transform its headquarters in Shenzhen into the country's first "bird-friendly building".

He Cheng, a founder of Tencent's bird-strike prevention team, said that pasting polka-dot stickers on the outer glass curtain wall of its headquarters in Yuehai Street had made a difference, but no solution was perfect.

The effectiveness of stickers in preventing bird collisions varied depending on factors such as building design, location and bird species, but they served as a proactive measure to mitigate the risk and raise awareness about the issue, he said.

"We hope to avoid the bird collision issue by taking a step forward through our efforts," He said.

A huge number of birds have died after colliding with glass buildings in recent years, and it has become a significant concern around the world.

In October, more than a thousand migrating birds died after crashing into a single building in Chicago in just one night due to what experts said was a deadly combination of the migration season, difficult weather and a lack of "bird-friendly" building measures.

A study published by the Hong Kong Bird Watching Society in March found that nearly 200 incidents of birds flying into buildings and transparent noise barriers were recorded in Hong Kong between September and December last year, with 90 percent of them being fatal.

On the Chinese mainland, the birds killed by collisions include many wild species under national secondary protection, such as the Siberian rubythroat and the red-flanked white-eye.

Yu Qiang, a professor at Beijing Technology and Business University, said installing "bird-friendly" glass and cutting light pollution could help reduce the number of deaths.

"Birds often collide with glass because they cannot perceive it as a solid barrier," Yu said. "By adding stickers or patterns to the glass surface, it breaks up the reflection and makes it more visible to birds.

He added that some studies suggested that certain patterns or colors could deter birds from approaching glass surfaces.

"Turning off lights, especially overnight, can be critical in saving birds' lives," Yu said.

Rong Chan-chung, a senior conservation officer at the Mangrove Foundation, said Tencent's transformation efforts and media coverage were making people more aware of bird collisions.

"By making certain changes, we can protect birds in our cities," Rong said.

"I hope that more people and businesses will join in, whether it's participating in investigations or improving buildings where bird collisions occur. This will reflect our city's attitude and determination in biodiversity conservation."

Wang Tianhuai contributed to this story.