Article · Wikipedia archive · Last revised Jul 7, 2026

Daniel Klem

Daniel Klem Jr. is an American ornithologist, known for his pioneering research into the mortality of birds due to glass windows. He is the Sarkis Acopian Professor of Ornithology and Conservation Biology at Muhlenberg College. He has been teaching there since 1979.

Last revised
Jul 7, 2026
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Daniel Klem Jr.
Klem in 2004
Scientific career
FieldsOrnithology
InstitutionsMuhlenberg College
Websitewww.muhlenberg.edu/main/academics/biology/facultystaff/danielklemjr/

Daniel Klem Jr. is an American ornithologist, known for his pioneering research into the mortality of birds due to glass windows.123 He is the Sarkis Acopian Professor of Ornithology and Conservation Biology at Muhlenberg College.3 He has been teaching there since 1979.

Klem obtained his BSc at Wilkes University and his MSc at Hofstra University.3 He served in the US military during the Vietnam War, and was awarded the Bronze Star Medal.3 He subsequently obtained his doctorate from Southern Illinois University.3

In his 1990 papers "Bird injuries, cause of death, and recuperation from collisions with windows" and "Collisions between birds and windows: mortality and prevention", he calculated that between 100 million and 1 billion birds are killed, annually, in the United States alone, by flying into windows.1

His research has influenced the design of buildings, not least the Niagara Falls State Park Observation Tower, on which he was a design consultant.13 He holds several US patents relating to windows design.4 He has also written about the birds of Armenia.

He received an honorary doctorate from Wilkes University, where he is also a trustee.3

Bibliography

Bibliography

  • Adamian, Martin S.; Klem, Daniel (1997). A Field Guide to Birds of Armenia. American University of Armenia Corporation. ISBN 978-0965742924.
  • Adamian, Martin S.; Klem, Daniel (1999). Handbook of the Birds of Armenia. American University of Armenia Corporation. ISBN 978-0965742931.

Papers

References

References

  1. Warner, Gene (December 12, 2016). "Professor finally recognized for his bird-saving efforts at Niagara Falls". The Buffalo News. Retrieved May 9, 2017.
  2. Erickson, Laura (May 7, 2017). "Standing on the Shoulders of a Giant". Retrieved May 9, 2017.
  3. Weidner, Krista (April 13, 2017). "Bird Watcher". Wilkes Magazine. Retrieved 9 May 2017.
  4. "Daniel Klem, Jr. Inventions, Patents and Patent Applications". Justia Patents Search. Retrieved May 9, 2017.
External links