This page features some spectacularly sad window collision victims found on campus.

If you want to help protect all birds – from common to rare – please turn off your lights and close your shades: both on campus, and at home.

On April 25, 2023 Dr. Maria Andreina Pacheco found this Kentucky Warbler, a recent window collision victim here on campus. The Kentucky Warbler is not a common bird in the area. When listing it on eBird, it comes up as “rare.”
On June 23, 2023 student Emily Spencer found this Common Gallinule on campus near Weiss Hall, on Cecil B. Moore between 12th and 13th streets. While we are not certain of the cause of death, it is likely that this was a juvenile attempting to migrate through the city for the first time.
On August 19, 2024 a Mourning Warbler (the top two images) was found on the Mazur-Gladfelter Terrace, skulking in the bushes and foraging for insects. It was the first time this species has been seen on Temple’s campus and marks the 117th species documented here.

Only 17 days later, another Mourning Warbler was found on campus (the bottom two images). Unlike the bird from August, this one was not alive; it had succumbed to a window collision at the main entrance of the Charles Library.
On September 16, 2024 Mandy Gibson found the above Virginia Rail outside of the Architecture building. This type of bird is typically found in marshy wetlands and is generally very elusive.

On April 9, 2025 Tyler graduate student Rylie Kelley found a mass collision event at the Tyler School of Art and Architecture’s Dye Garden. Many Dark Eyed Juncos were dead, or actively flying into the glass when they arrived to monitor. All told, Rylie recovered eight dead birds with other victims flying away before being able to be captured and taken to rehab.
On the evening of September 24, 2026 Biology graduate student Violet Lange found the first-ever Dickcissel collision victim reported in Philadelphia – not just on campus! The bird was a victim of the Lynne and Charles Klatskin Skywalk.
On October 7, 2026 an Eastern Whip-Poor-Will was found stunned on the ground; it had hit the glass of Gladfelter Hall. This was the first-ever eBird sighting of a Whip-Poor-Will on campus (species #134), and it is unfortunate that it was under these circumstances.

When a volunteer approached the bird to try to get it to rehab, it flew into a nearby tree (pictured below). We hope it is able to recover without aid and continue on its migration!