Birds & Windows

There can be a couple different reasons why birds fly into windows.

Birds Attacking the Window
Birds like cardinals and robins will dash repeatedly at their reflections in windows. Such actions are usually because the individual bird, usually a male, mistakenly perceives another bird in the reflection. It is territorial behavior for the bird to fight off the intruder.

There are two ways to help prevent this behavior - one is to eliminate the reflective qualities of the glass window so it does not act as a mirror, the other is to create a physical barrier between the bird and the window.

Window decals usually don't work in this situation. You will need to cover the entire area. Sometimes once you cover the spot they are attacking they may move onto the next reflective surface. So you may need to cover more than one window. A light colored or white material placed against the inside of the glass may help to reduce the reflection enough to stop the attacks. A dark room or dark drapes will actually increase the reflection and encourage more attacks. You may also try soaping the outside of the window.

If all else fails, you may need to cover the outside of the window with a thin netting to prevent the bird from actually reaching the window. One of the advantages of the netting is that it allows you to still see out the window. 

The good news is, once mating season is over, so is this problem. So your windows usually only need to be covered until the end of May.  

Window Strikes
Some birds fly into windows because they don't see the window - and they can’t tell the difference between reflections of trees, plants, sky and the real things. Collisions happen more frequently during the spring and fall migration periods.

Walk around your house to see which windows are most reflective. Specifically check the windows closest to your bird feeders.

The easiest solution to strikes is to apply visible markings to the outside of the windows in patterns that the birds can see, while requiring minimal glass coverage to keep your view unobstructed.

If you have vertical blinds, you could leave the blinds down but keep the slats open.

You could set up a window feeder. It will help keep the birds safe from striking the window and provide close views of them feeding.

Window screens are a great deterrent. If your windows don’t have screens, there are some netting options you can purchase to install over the top of your windows to keep birds from injuring themselves. 

Stop by our store and talk with one of our experts.

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