Save a Bird with a Sticker

This activity comes to us from the educators at the Prospect Park Audubon Center.

How can a sticker save a bird? It's not the sticker itself that's important but rather where you put it that matters. In this case it's on your windows. It is estimated that 90,000 to 230,000 birds annually are killed when they fly into windows—in New York City alone. The birds cannot tell the difference between the reflection in a window and open space, which causes collisions. By adding stickers to windows, the glass becomes more easily visible to birds and they are able to avoid flying into them.

Here is a simple craft to make your own window stickers and become a bird hero! If you prefer a video tutorial, our friends at Theodore Roosevelt Audubon made one you can see.

What you will need:
● Glue - Elmer's or school glue, not Krazy glue
● Dish soap
● A plastic sheet or bag
● Markers
● A paintbrush

Step 1:
Pick any shape you like, from a picture, magazine, our provided outline below, or our downloadable Prospect Park animal images.  Lay it on a flat surface and place your plastic sheet or bag on top. It may help to tape it in place to prevent it from moving while you are tracing.

Step 2:
Pour two tablespoons of glue into a mixing container and add just a few drops of dish soap. This will allow you to remove the stickers from the plastic later. Mix thoroughly.

Step 3:
Use your paintbrush to trace your shapes onto the plastic with your glue mixture. Make sure to fill in the entire shape and add a second, thick layer after a few minutes of drying. Let the glue dry for a few hours or overnight.

Step 4:
Once your stickers are completely dry, color them in using markers.

Step 5:
Once you are done coloring, carefully remove the stickers from the plastic sheet, slowly to avoid tearing or stretching.

If you find all your stickers are tearing, try adding another layer of glue on top and let it dry. Once removed the stickers should stick onto any window. The more stickers you add the better it is for birds, so make as many as you want!