TOWER KILL OUR MISSION STATEMENT: To Preserve The Lives of Migratory Birds in Urban Areas.
		In spring, birds migrate northward, abandoning their winter feeding grounds in favor of summer breeding territories. Some species fly thousands of kilometers from Central and South America, the Caribbean and Mexico to their nesting areas in Canada. In fall, when the young have left the nest and insect populations dwindle, they return to warmer climates. During their difficult journey they face many dangers: predators, inclement weather, habitat loss where they would normally rest and feed, windows and lighted structures are but a few. Birds are beneficial to all of us, and part of the web of life that sustains all life on Earth.

Why care if some birds die at human-built structures?

Each year they consume billions of insects and disperse billions of plant seeds. Many species of birds, especially the small insect-eaters, migrate at night. Guided in part by the constellations, they are attracted to lights shining from skyscrapers, broadcast towers, lighthouses, monuments and other tall structures. The birds either flutter about the light until they drop from exhaustion,  or actually hit the object. Fog, rain or low cloud can make the problem worse.  Approximately half of the birds found die from their injuries suffered in the collision. Many require medical attention. Head trauma, broken beaks and feather damage are typical injuries. After collisions, many birds are just stunned and will revive in a couple of hours.  However, if they find themselves trapped in a maze of bright office towers, their chances of making it out alive are slim. Gulls, cats, crows and other predatory animals soon learn to patrol the area in search of an easy meal. Those birds that escape predation often panic as the city fills with people in the morning and then soon hit another window, with fatal results. If they manage to avoid further window collisions, some may slowly starve to death. The Fatal Light Awareness Program (FLAP), a registered charity, was formed in April 1993 to find a solution to the problem. During migration seasons, FLAP volunteers patrol Toronto's downtown core in the early morning hours to rescue live birds and collect the dead ones. Volunteers use nylon nets to help capture confused birds. Paper bags provide an easy means of transport, and give each bird a warm, dark place in which to recuperate before being set free.  After quickly determining the species and examining each bird for injuries, a volunteer will place the bird inside a paper bag, making sure it stays upright. Within a few hours, if there is no sign of injury, the bird will be released in a natural area well beyond the downtown core. An injured bird, especially one suffering from shock or head trauma, may be given an injection to reduce brain swelling and stabilize blood pressure. If the bird has completely recovered after a few hours, it is released. If the injury is severe, the bird is taken to a local wildlife rehabilitation center. Any dead bird salvaged by FLAP volunteers goes towards research purposes.

What does FLAP do with all the dead birds they salvage?

But even more important is the other role of FLAP: to publicize the problem and get tower staff, cleaning crews, security and management to turn off the lights. For its conservation work FLAP has received a great deal of media attention, most notably coverage on CBC's "The Nature of Things". As awareness of the problem grows, FLAP plans to work with concerned groups in other cities to form similar organizations throughout North America, even around the world.