A University of Michigan student's black-and-white mural is set to cover the glass walkway connecting Weiser Hall and the North University Building, part of an effort to stop birds from flying into its windows.

Suher Salim, a cognitive science undergraduate in the College of Literature, Science, and the Arts (LSA), designed the mural after winning a campuswide competition launched earlier in 2026 as part of U-M's Bird Protection Program, according to a University of Michigan News release. Her design features birds, butterflies and botanical elements in white film that helps birds recognize the glass as a barrier instead of open sky.

Salim said the design drew on native plants she noticed during walks through Ann Arbor. She also holds an associate's degree in graphic design from Oakland Community College, which she said helped her plan a design that could work as a large-scale installation.

"As an artist, it is really surreal to have an art installation on the U-M campus … I believe we must learn to coexist with nature, because we are also a part of it," Salim said.

The elevated walkway was flagged as a high-collision spot through seasonal monitoring conducted with researchers and faculty at the Museum of Zoology. Staff and student volunteers track collisions during spring and fall migration to identify where window treatments are needed. Most collisions happen when birds mistake reflections in glass for open sky or habitat. Building strikes are the second-leading source of direct human-caused bird deaths in the United States, killing an estimated 1 billion birds each year, according to the release.

A jury reviewed submissions and selected Salim's design.

The competition was funded through Student Life's Planet Blue Student Innovation Fund and hosted by the Office of Campus Sustainability and Innovation with the Arts Initiative and LSA. Anya Dale, manager of Campus as Lab in the Office of Campus Sustainability and Innovation, said the project connects research, creativity and campus operations. She said students helped translate bird-collision research into a practical solution that protects wildlife.

The public is invited to the mural's unveiling from 1 to 3 p.m. Friday, Sept. 11, on the 10th floor of Weiser Hall. The event will include campus wildlife trivia, crafts and information about bird and biodiversity protection efforts on campus.