Shillong, Jan 24: A significant number of long-tailed broadbills were reported dead due to collision with the reflective glass at the Mahindra Showroom in Mawiong Rim.
A video of the dead birds, shared online, shows employees making attempts to assist the affected broadbills as efforts were also made to revive the injured birds.
Forest officials led by Assistant Conservator of Forest, Markhiador Kharsyntiew visited the area today and conducted a thorough examination of the showroom premises. He said the glass structures have been identified as the cause of the fatalities.
Kharsyntiew said the incident occurred on Friday at around 4 pm but could not confirm the number of deaths. He said the long-tailed broadbills, a species integral to the local ecosystem, collided with the showroom’s glass panels, which resulted in injury or death.
He said the reflective glass surface at the showroom pose serious risks to birds. He explained that when the sun sets over Umiam Lake, the stronger reflections trick the birds into believing they are navigating toward trees.
The Forest Department has recommended the management of the Mahindra showroom to make modifications to the window panels and to take remedial measures by enhancing interior lighting. Increased lighting would minimise glass reflections that often confuse birds, thereby reducing their risk of collision with glass surfaces, Kharsyntiew said.
Birds’ collision with glass surfaces is a significant concern in big cities and natural landscapes and this is the first time that the incident has been reported in the State.
According to a study, birds rely on their natural instinct to fly toward open spaces and vegetation while navigating their environment. However, these instincts can be compromised by the deceptive characteristics of glass surfaces, which can reflect the sky, clouds, and surrounding trees.
Experts have noted that with increasing urbanisation, habitat fragmentation and glass reflections pose serious risks to birds, making these collisions an emerging conservation concern.
