GUELPH -- A Guelph conservation group made up of a student volunteers is working to protect birds from windows.

Every year, millions of birds are killed by an unseen threat, colliding with windows reflecting plants and trees.

"They think there's more trees past the window," said Alannah Grant, a volunteer with Bird Safe Guelph. "They don't know there's a window there."

The group has launched an initiative to bird-proof windows in Guelph, offering two free window kits.

"A window safe sticker," Grant said. "You put it on the outside of your window and it reduces the reflections that birds can't see."

They also offer an artistry kit where users make custom window designs.

The project is funded by a $2,000 grant from the World Wildlife Foundation.

Grant has already added one of the artistry kits to her windows. She said to remember to keep designs no more than five centimetres by five centimetres apart.

"So that it's fully covered and birds can see," she said. "I was going for a whimsical design."

Elizabeth Gow, a movement ecologist with Birds Canada, said the kits could make a big difference in protecting the bird population.

"In Canada, just from people's houses, between 15 and 30 million birds will die from hitting windows," Gow said.

She adds that it's even more important as migration season approaches.

"We're talking billions of birds every single year are coming back to Canada and this time period in May is when there's the highest risk of birds hitting windows," Gow said.

Grant said bird proofing can also be done with a marker and ruler.

"Anything that's a bright, white marker," she said. "You can get it from any craft store or most grocery stores seem to have them."

The group has a goal of protecting the safety of feathered friends.