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birds hitting the window

16 years ago

There have been a number of posts where people have reported birds hitting the windows. I was very interested in the comments because I have notice birds frequently hitting my window.

Yesterday I was lying on my bed looking out the window when it happened, WHAM, a little sparrow hit the window so hard I could see a few tiny feathers fly off.

I got up and went outside to see if the bird was hurt. I could see a mark in the snow where the bird landed after the impact but before I got there it had flown away, however, while stooping down near the ground I happened to look up at the window and I realized what the problem is.

When it is bright outside and comparatively dark in the house the window acts as a mirror. From the low ground angle the window was reflecting the image of the tree and sky and no doubt the bird saw it as a clear flight path.

I then went inside and closed the blinds thinking the birds would now see the blinds and fly in a different direction. Within minutes I heard another bird hit the window so I again went out to investigate the problem. Perhaps my feeder was too close to the side of the house, but when looked at the window I realized that closing the blinds had actually made it darker behind the glass, therefore making he mirror effect even greater.

Having used one way glass for photographic special effects in the past I knew that one way glass is transparent when the room is lite on both sides so I tried and experiment. I sat a table lamp on a table near the window and turned it on then went out and looked at the window as I had done before, only now, instead of seeing a reflection of the sky and tree i could clearly see it was a window. I have not had a single bird strike since I placed the lamp.

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Comments (5)

terrene
16 years ago
Smart idea! I have read several articles about birds striking windows and never read about this solution. Can you take pics to show how this works?

Does that mean you have to leave the lamp on all the time - during the day at least? Would a compact flourescent work to save energy?
marricgardens
16 years ago
I've never heard of this idea either. Sounds good but I don't like the idea of leaving a lamp on all day. I had the same problem and I read here that you can get reflective decals that actually stop the birds. I called the store where they sell bird seed and they had them in stock so I bought a pkg. They are called 'Window Alert'. There are 4 maple leaf shaped clear decals in the pkg. They work great! Haven't had a strike since I put them up.
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My mother had a demented cardinal that would repeatedly hurl himself against the kitchen window. She put a plastic snake on the window sill, and it stopped. But, then the same bird started hanging out on my mother's car, looking at himself in the car mirrors and crapping down the side of her car. He would do this all day long. This bird drove my mother crazy. She had to keep plastic bags over her car mirrors for several years so that she wouldn't have to clean bird crap off the car door every time she got in it. She even thought about hiring someone to shoot the bird. My "new age" aunt told my mother that she thought that the bird was my deceased father reincarnated as a bird who was trying to communicate with her. Frankly, I think my dad would know better than to crap down the side of my mother's car. LOL!
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there are decals that you can buy that are almost invisibe to you but realy reflect colors to the birds. I have a kitchen window that was a big bird strike area, since the decals...no strikes at all. I will try to find a link or info on them for you, only about $5.00 for a pack of 4. (also can move them from window to window as the seasons chang and different windows become strike areas).Mine are maple leaf shaped and transparent, but they really work. Lisa
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I had to look this one up, at first I thought it was an ovenbird, but it looks just like a Northern Waterthrush. Not sure where you live, but from my bird book that is the closest I can come to iding this little cutie. Glad it is ok. When a bird hits my window, I put them in a large brown paper bad from the grocery store, fold it over so they cant get out. I put the bag in a dark quiet part of my house so they can recover away from the hot sun, cats and hawk danger. When I hear them fluttering in the bag...I let them go. Great pic!! Karen
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Hanging the feeder near the window is a good thing, as the birds don't have time to build up speed if they hit into it. From what I've read it is actually safer for the birds to keep the feeder near a window. Since you said it would be around 3 feet from the window, I would test it to see if it is even possible for it to hit into the window. You definitely don't want it to break a window! You could try swinging it out to its maximum to see how far it goes. I've never seen a three foot feeder, so maybe you have enough clearance and don't have to worry about it?
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lazypup
Original Author
16 years ago
I had also read about applying decals as suggested by masrric, however the window in question is my primary observation point for my feeders and applying decals would limit my camera line of sight.

The lamp I used was a desk lamp with a 40wt mini florescent that actually consumes 16watts, a very minor expense to help prevent injury to my friends.

Today I got another crazy idea. Many gardeners hang discarded Cd's in their gardens to discourage birds from their crop. I hung three old CD's on sewing tread so they can twist and turn like mobiles. Not only is this a cheap and easy solution to the bird strike problem, they are also very easy to move aside while I am taking pictures.
paulsiu
16 years ago
I put up some dead DVD-R for squirrel baffling, but then I notice that it scare the birds, so hanging them from your window will probably work.

I wonder if you can hang a disco ball. They come in different sizes and with them spinning around in the light, it may be a deterrent to birds.

Paul
bluecrop
16 years ago
After put hanging up a strip of 3/4" wide Holographic scare tape inside, not one bird has hit 2 huge picture windows 6'X6' in 2 years. Jon

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