Stop Window Collisions NOW

Never had a bird hit your window? It’s possible you may be one of the lucky few, but chances are, birds have hit the glass on your house and you just don’t know it. They may have flown away injured to die elsewhere, or been eaten by a cat, raccoon, fox, or dog before you found them. Your house may kill a dozen or more birds each year without you knowing. This may not seem like a lot, but it can add up to as many as a billion birds per year or more throughout the United States. Much of this mortality takes place during spring and fall when songbirds are migrating.

Birds hit your windows because they just can’t see glass. They try to fly to the reflected sky or trees, or they see through windows on opposite sides of your house and try to fly ‘through the hole’. The impact of the collision is enough to kill a songbird, severely injure it, or stun it to leave it on the ground vulnerable to predators.

Bird Collision Facts

• Glass kills between 500,000 and 1,000,000,000 birds each year – the majority on home windows

• Birds can’t see glass and don’t understand the architectural cues, such as window frames, mullions, and handles, that help people detect it

• Unlike some sources of bird mortality that predominantly kill weaker individuals, there is no distinction among victims of glass. Because glass is equally dangerous for strong, healthy, breeding adults, it can have a particularly serious impact on populations.

• Even small windows can be dangerous to birds that are accustomed to flying through small gaps between trees and shrubs.

• One or two decals on a small window may help reduce some collisions, but decals become less effective as window size increases because birds will simply fly around them.

• Tape is a cost effective way to make windows safe for birds and it is a quick way to treat large areas of glass.

• Research has shown that birds generally avoid flying through vertical spaces 4” or less, and horizontal spaces 2” or less.

Possible Solutions

Use outside screens on as many windows as possible. The screen removes the reflections. For larger windows that don’t open and sliding glass doors, try these …

ABC BirdTape was designed and tested by bird experts at American Bird Conservancy, the leading bird conservation organization in the U.S., to alert birds to the presence of glass while allowing you to see out the window from inside. By applying ABC BirdTape in any of the recommended patterns, birds will see your windows and not try to fly through the gaps in between. For more information.

Acopian BirdSavers consist of 1/8 inch diameter nylon cords (olive-colored parachute cord, available in many places) hanging four inches (4 ̋) apart. Any method you use to achieve this will significantly decrease the number of birds that are hitting a problem window. The bottoms of the cords don’t need to go all the way to the bottom of the glass. Most people like the look of the cords when they stop about 3 inches above the bot- tom of the glass. There are various ways to attach the BirdSavers cords to a window. For more information.

Eliminate Window Attacks

The above solutions will also help mitigate spring window attacks. These birds are just doing what comes naturally to them during the breeding season, protecting their territory. For watch ever reason, they see their reflection in the window and think it is another bird trying to horn in on their territory. Birds don’t usually hurt themselves, but they do waste a lot of energy they need for raising their young. The best way to discourage this behavior is to eliminate the reflection is covering the window/mirror completely.

Feeder Placement

We all like to watch the birds at our feeders through windows, so feeder placement is important. Feeders attached to windows do not appear to be a problem. However, hanging feeders around patios and decks can bring the birds into conflict with sliding glass doors and picture windows. It is suggested your place feeders within 3-5 feet of windows or more than 30 feet. See graphic below. (Note for those metrically challenged, a meter is about 3 inches longer than a yard.)