Every year, an estimated 1 billion birds die in building collisions in the United States. Birds are also vulnerable to becoming injured in urban environments, getting their delicate legs stuck in power lines, barbed wire, and railings.
Conservation experts and wildlife advocates are on the front lines in making city environments more accessible for the animals that dwell in them, implementing solutions such as bird-safe glass and light pollution reduction.
But solutions are also needed to help heal these injuries when they arise.
Enter: BirdAid.
Created by product designers Zay Kim, Chaewon Lee, and Jungmin Park, BirdAid is a first-aid kit easy enough for anyone to use.
Their idea was to create a simple and straightforward approach that would not require removal once a bird’s leg had healed from an injury.
What they developed is a dissolvable tablet made of eggshell calcium, agar powder, and potato starch, as well as naturally colorful additives like gardenia, basil, and beetroot.
“BirdAid began by selecting safe, biodegradable materials for injured birds. We tested decomposition cycles to match healing needs, and then refined ID markers for easy use,” the designers share on a Behance page.
“Treatment trials ensured comfort and function. Finally, we prepared for mass production and sustainable packaging — making bird first aid simple and accessible.”
Here’s how it works: The eggshell base of the tablets offers a “unique combination of properties,” according to the designers, including “natural calcium to support bone recovery,” while breaking down seamlessly in nature.
The eggshells also offer a “symbolic link” to birds, representing both fragility and life.
Additionally, the mix includes agar powder and potato starch to help control the decomposition rate of the splint, depending on the injury’s severity.
Each tablet includes these properties and comes in a red, yellow, or green color. Red tablets, which include beetroot, are designed for complete fractures or injuries where the bird’s leg may appear bent or misaligned.
Yellow tablets, which are colored with gardenia, are for injuries in which the bird struggles to put weight on an injured leg and exhibits visible swelling, likely a partial fracture.
The green tablets, colored by basil, help heal hairline fractures, in which a bird is limping but can still walk and perch.
“To help users quickly identify the severity of an injury, we developed three splint variations with different decomposition rates,” the designers write.
“Each is infused with natural plant powders — gardenia, basil, and beetroot — which not only color the material but also signal the expected duration of support.”
Upon opening the kit, users take the correctly colored tablet out and simply crush it — while wearing gloves and using an applicator like a popsicle stick or tongue depressor. Once crushed into a paste-like material, it can be applied to the injury, where it will harden and help heal the injury.
To apply the splint correctly, the BirdAid package offers a QR code that links to an app, where users can get step-by-step instructions, visual guides, and assessment tools, to assist in treating the injury, without any prior experience.
“The biodegradable materials ensure that the splint naturally detaches over time, eliminating the need for follow-up intervention,” the designers write.
“For wild birds, this kit offers a second chance at mobility and survival. As urbanization continues to impact wildlife, providing a simple and effective way to support injured birds helps maintain ecological balance and coexistence between nature and cities.”
While the designers share that they have conducted successful real-world trials, it’s unclear if or when the product will reach consumer markets.
BirdAid is designed for every-human use, but right now, amid concerning rates of Avian Influenza in wild animals, it is probably best to let wildlife experts take care of bird injuries, especially if you do not have any personal protective equipment.
Still, the invention represents a step forward in support for urban wildlife, even if still in development.
“BirdAid offers a simple yet powerful way to support wildlife with minimal impact on nature,” its designers share. “It is a small, accessible gesture that brings compassionate care into everyday life.”
Header image courtesy of Zay Kim, Chaewon Lee, and Jungmin Park/Behance
