Preventing bird strikes on windows

[Stephen Tashiro]

What are some good ways to prevent birds from from trying to fly through the glass on a window?

In many situations, a window is only used to admit some light in a room rather than to provide a clear view of the outside. ( For example, on some windows the curtains are always kept closed). In that case it wouldn't matter if an anti-bird-strike measure somewhat obscured the view.

Would bird strikes be deterred by the spray-on "snow" that stores put on their windows at Christmas time? How long does that stuff stay on window?

What about simply hanging some lengths of twine over the outside of a window? That could be done in a decorative manner.

[Sam Murdoch]

They are flying into the reflection of the glass - to them they are seeing open sky or trees - a natural flight path.
Keeping the window from being reflective is the best solution. Don't know how long the "snow" will cling but that's the right idea.

We have bird angel imprints on our windows regularly - especially after a hawk has streaked the feeders. Dirty windows
is not a solution :). We do care about our view so obscuring the windows is not an alternative.

[Jim Koepke]

How about putting up screens?

jtk

[Lee Schierer]

We had a robin that kept seeing a rival in our front window and he would attack it from sunrise to sunset except when our cat would sit in the window to watch the birds.

[Brian Henderson]

We have birds constantly hitting our windows, in fact, one just did mere seconds before I found this thread. They're small birds that don't hurt the window or themselves, only once did we ever go out there and find a bird on the ground that had knocked itself senseless for a couple of minutes until it recovered and flew off. Since there are no predators that can come and get them while they're dazed, I don't worry about it. Haven't had one die yet that I know of.

[Chet R Parks]

Some guys up here hang old CD's from a hole they drill near the edge with fishing line in their boat lift canopies to stop birds from nesting in them. Might help to hang one outside the window so it can twist and turn??? Of course it looks like an old disco light, so maybe not. Screens stop small birds but not the Grouse, they make good eating when they fly into windows.

[Mike Chance in Iowa]

The house we finally moved into has 3 sliding doors on the back side of the house. We have frequent deadly bird strikes on the door that we use the most and that's because the curtains are left open and it appears dark in that glass. We haven't tried this yet, but think it's worth a try.

http://flap.org/residential_new.php

[Yonak Hawkins]

Here are some suggestions from the American Bird Conservancy : https://abcbirds.org/get-involved/bird-smart-glass/

[James Pallas]

Had the same issue after installing a new clear glass (no muntins) at the kitchen sink. It's reflections from the trees in our case. I have a pedant light with an orange colored globe over the sink that hangs in the window 25w bulb. Just leave it on and bird strikes stop. If we forget the light we will get a strike in the first few hours. Does not happen on other Windows on the same side (with muntins). Odd but that's the way it is.
Jim

[Mel Fulks]

Birds flying into glass used to be a sign someone there was going to die soon. So things have improved some.

[mark kosse]

I have pull down shades on mine.

when a bird does hit hard and if it doesn't break anything the thing to do is go out and mess with it some. Pick it up, pet it's head, make contact. If you don't let it wallow in it's own misery and die it will usually recover.

my wife says I do bird CPR.

[Bill Bukovec]

One suggestion I've heard is to hang a silhouette of a diving hawk in the window. The theory is that thus scares the birds away from the window.

[Stephen Tashiro]

How about putting up screens?

jtk
I like that idea; it would also protect against BBs. But what's a simple way to put up screens? Many modern window designs have a screen that covers over only part of the window. Screens would prevent awning style windows from opening outward.

In the old days, screens for windows were separate constructions with their own wooden frames that covered the whole window. Is there a good way to use a modern screen with its thin metal frame to cover all of a single hung vinyl frame window?

Considering only birds and not BBs, a rod suspending some vertical cords over the window seems the simplest solution - something easy to remove when the window is cleaned.

[Bill McNiel]

Makes me wonder if an official Concussion Protocol exists for birds smacking into windows?

[Pat Barry]

I like that idea; it would also protect against BBs. But what's a simple way to put up screens? Many modern window designs have a screen that covers over only part of the window. Screens would prevent awning style windows from opening outward.

In the old days, screens for windows were separate constructions with their own wooden frames that covered the whole window. Is there a good way to use a modern screen with its thin metal frame to cover all of a single hung vinyl frame window?

Considering only birds and not BBs, a rod suspending some vertical cords over the window seems the simplest solution - something easy to remove when the window is cleaned.
Why do you worry about BB's?

[John K Jordan]

I tried fastening a silhouette of a hawk on the glass and that didn't help. Not having a bird feeder close seems to help except for not being able to watch the birds.

I wonder if the plastic hawks and owls made for gardens would work. I know they don't work in my garden - the little rabbits still came and the birds used them as a perch. Maybe the newer "bobble head" or solar powered motion hawks/owls would be better.

Curtains inside? One of my male peacocks used to spend hours watching and threatening his image on a low window of an unoccupied house across the street. The inside was dark and made a nice mirror. I taped a piece of paper on it which helped for a while. When people moved in their light-colored curtains stopped the reflection.

And what's this about the BBs? Neighbor kids? Drive bys?

JKJ

[Mark Carlson]

We had a window that was getting hit and put on some of those semi transparent bird strike stickers and that fixed the problem. I didnt even notice the stickers.

[Stephen Tashiro]

Why do you worry about BB's?

I live in the city. Even the most considerate residents can have visiting grandkids.

[John K Jordan]

Yikes, that sounds terrible (and hazardous). I think any most considerate grandparent who allowed kids to roam outside unsupervised with BB guns would gladly pay for damages.

[michael langman]

I have a large picture window in my living room, and we feed the birds.
I also have a 24" overhang on the eaves of my roof.
I put up bird netting hooked to the rain gutters at the top, and the netting angles down to the exterior sheathing under the window. I put small brads into the sheathing to attach the netting to.
You cannot see the netting in the hous looking out. And the birds have flown into the netting, or gone around and got caught behind it..
No more window casualtys.
With less of an overhang on the roof it may not work as well, but it might give the birds time to react and back off some.

[Cary Falk]

We had a window that was getting hit and put on some of those semi transparent bird strike stickers and that fixed the problem. I didnt even notice the stickers.

We had an issue at work on several windows. They also put these up and it also fixed the problem. You can only see them at certain angles.