Mass deaths of starlings reported after colliding with glass in Tapiola
Volunteers from Helsingin villieläinapu observed dozens of dead starlings on a glass-fenced courtyard in Tapiola, and rescued dozens of injured birds.
Helsingin villieläinapu volunteers have been busy handling starling casualties after large numbers of the birds struck glass surfaces. On Friday, Annika Pesonen witnessed a mass death of 60-70 starlings on a courtyard beside the Ainoa shopping centre in Tapiola, Espoo, and transported roughly 20 injured individuals to the group’s care. The next day, more birds were reported to have collided at the same location.
Similar cluster collisions have also been recorded in Helsinki’s Jätkäsaaren and Viikki districts. The rescue group cautions that additional “dystopic” scenes may appear soon, especially in inner courtyards with abundant windows or glass-covered balconies. They advise simple measures such as window curtains, stickers, or UV-visible markings to deter birds, noting that Finland loses millions of birds annually to glass impacts.
Why it matters
The incident highlights the widespread risk glass poses to birds and the need for simple mitigation measures.
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