The dark side of Padel: Up to 135 birds per court are dying each year – but Spain may have a solution

Spain’s love for padel has helped turn it into one of the fastest-growing sports in the world — but experts warn the boom is coming at a cost.

Recent estimates suggest that tens of thousands of birds may be dying every year in Spain after colliding with glass padel courts, with some studies indicating that a single court can be responsible for 135 bird deaths annually.

Now, as concern grows, Spain may have found a surprisingly simple way to stop it.

The dark side of padel

Padel courts are instantly recognisable: enclosed spaces surrounded by glass walls that keep the ball in play. But while they’re essential to the game, those transparent panels are proving deadly for wildlife.

Birds don’t see glass the way humans do. Instead, they see reflections – blue skies, trees, open landscapes – and assume they can fly straight through.

The result is repeated, high-speed collisions.

This is particularly problematic in Spain, which lies on one of Europe’s most important migratory routes between Africa and the continent. Millions of birds pass through the country each year, many travelling long distances and already under stress.

When padel courts are built in rural areas, near wetlands or along coastal routes, the risk increases significantly.

Environmental groups have raised alarms in recent years, warning that the rapid, largely unregulated spread of courts is creating a widespread but largely invisible threat to bird populations.

Why Spain is at the centre of the problem

Spain is the global heart of padel.

With more than 17,000 courts and an estimated six million players, the sport is deeply embedded in everyday life: from city clubs to countryside villas.

But that rapid expansion has outpaced environmental oversight.

Many courts fall into a grey area in planning law, meaning they often don’t require full environmental impact assessments. As a result, they’ve been built quickly and widely – including in areas rich in birdlife.

In regions like Valencia, Catalonia and Andalusia, researchers and conservationists have documented repeated bird collisions, particularly during migration seasons. There were 75,000 bird deaths in Valencia alone and 24,000 in Catalonia. The list goes on.

Spain’s surprisingly simple solution

After years of concern and failed attempts at prevention, Spain may already have the answer – and it’s far from high-tech.

The solution? Installing netting over the glass panels.

Trials carried out in areas including Seville and Valencia have shown that adding a fine mesh layer over the glass dramatically reduces bird collisions – in some cases, eliminating them altogether.

The reason is simple:
The net disrupts reflections and creates a visible barrier that birds can recognise mid-flight.

Crucially, it doesn’t affect how the game is played. The ball can still rebound off the glass, and visibility for players remains largely unchanged.

It’s also affordable – costing just a few hundred euros per court – making it a realistic option for widespread adoption.

Why earlier fixes failed

Before nets, various alternatives were tested, including:

• Stickers and decals
• Bird silhouettes
• Patterned glass

But most proved ineffective.

Birds often failed to interpret these visual cues as obstacles, particularly when reflections were strong. In many cases, collisions continued despite these measures.

Netting, by contrast, physically breaks up the illusion of open space – making it far more effective.

Will Spain act on it?

That’s the key question.

While there’s no nationwide regulation yet requiring bird-safe measures, awareness is growing rapidly. Some universities, clubs and local authorities have already begun installing netting, particularly in high-risk areas.

Environmental organisations are now pushing for broader action, including:

• Mandatory bird protection measures for new courts
• Retrofitting existing courts in sensitive locations
• Stricter planning rules near migratory routes and natural habitats

Given Spain’s global influence in padel, any national move could have ripple effects across Europe and beyond.

A turning point for a booming sport

Padel’s growth shows no sign of slowing. It’s expanding rapidly across Europe, with new courts appearing in the UK, France, Germany and beyond.

That puts Spain in a unique position – not just as the sport’s leader, but as the country most capable of shaping its future responsibly.

The challenge now is balancing that growth with environmental awareness.

The bottom line

Spain’s padel boom may be contributing to the deaths of thousands of birds each year – but it’s also offering a solution.

A simple, low-cost fix has already proven highly effective. The next step is scaling it.

If widely adopted, netting could prevent countless bird deaths and transform a growing environmental concern into a rare success story – where sport, innovation and nature finally find common ground.