HOW TO MAKE WINDOWS SAFE FOR BIRDS

.Photo credit: Becky Pocock, Saskatoon StarPhoenix.
 One hundred million to one billion birds die each year due to collisions with human-built structures across North America alone. It is the reflective and transparent characteristics of glass that make windows invisible killers. Birds see the tree reflected in a window, or the plant behind the window, not the glass itself. To stop these collisions one must make glass visible to birds.
Homeowners often affix a single, black hawk-shaped silhouette to their picture window in an attempt to protect birds. Unfortunately, this rarely does the trick. The silhouette only covers a small portion of the window and unless the bird is headed for that particular spot, it will not deter it from hitting the window.

To make the silhouettes more effective you must cover the entire surface of the window, from the outside, with silhouettes or other patterns two to four inches apart. Alternately, attach a large silhouette to the glass via a suction cup. The wind will cause it to move slightly - enough that it may alert the bird to a moving presence - and the heavy, rigid plastic will rattle on the glass surface. Unfortunately, you will still need to cover a majority of the window surface in order to have the fullest effect.

The following ideas show greater promise than silhouettes in reducing bird collisions.
However, THEY MAY NOT ELIMINATE THE PROBLEM! Visit our CollidEscape page to achieve best results at collision reduction.

Top 10 Ways To Make Glass Less Of A Hazard For Birds (starting with the most to the least effective technique)
  1. For best results at reducing bird collisions with windows while not interfering with the aesthetics of your home get CollidEscape.

  2. Turn your window into a work of art by using a special window film that gives the appearance of acid etching or sandblasting. This film can also have a design cut into it. However, in order for it to have the fullest effect the exposed areas of glass must be no greater than two square inch zones. You can also frost the exterior surface of a window yourself. You can create beautiful images through etching into glass.
  3. Cover small and medium-sized windows with netting, chain or rope, preferably soccer net grade. Make sure you leave space between the glass and netting. It will then act as a trampoline if a bird should hit it.

  4. Though not very attractive, whitewashing windows has positive results at controlling daytime window collisions. One can apply whitewash on a seasonal basis then simply wash the windows when the migration seasons are over.

  5. Incorporating exterior sun shades can also aid in reducing bird strikes.
  6. Hang ribbons or other material in strips no more than five centimeters apart on the outside of windows for the full width of the glass. For even better results consider using Wing Chimes. If you are interested in learning more about Wing Chimes please email us at www.flap.org.
  1. Where you place a bird feeder in relation to your windows can increase or decrease the chances of bird collisions. Most feeding stations are placed in the worst possible locations. Make sure your bird feeders and other attractants (birdbaths, nutritious vegetation) are less than half a meter from any window. If the attractant is very close to the house, most of the time the bird cannot build up enough momentum to injure itself should it hit the window. Click here to learn how to attract birds to your yard.
  1. Not only are bird feeders usually placed in the worst possible locations, the layout of our interior living space can also contribute to the likelihood of birds colliding with windows. When a window at the front and back of your home face each other or when two windows meet at a corner they give the impression of a clear passage.
  1. To help reduce this dangerous illusion you need to draw drapes and close blinds whenever possible. This will also help if you have plants inside the house close to the window.
  2. Since hawk silhouettes work much better when they move, make your silhouettes from sheet aluminum or wood and hang them by chain or rope from an overhang.
Here is a product out of Germany that claims to prevent bird collisions. It's called Ornilux, glass treated with patterns of ultraviolet (UV) coatings. Birds see UV, where humans do not. The theory is that by applying UV partterns on glass, birds will see these markings, where we see the glass as it would normally appear to the human eye.

Here are four more techniques that have displayed no conclusive results for window collisions prevention, however they are deserving of further research:
  1. Bye-Bye Birdie is based on the scientific principles of a geomagnetic field. Using a specialized magnetic system, Bye-Bye Birdie emits a magnetic field which theorectically will disrupt a bird's geomagnetic orientation causing them to avoid the disturbed area.

  2. A product called Window Alert has also adopted this UV concept. However, much like window decals this product only covers a fraction of a window's surface therefore only addressing fraction of the problem.

  3. Bird-X-Peller takes very high fidelity recordings of birds' distress call and inscribes them on to a microchip. Birds perceive danger when they hear these sounds where they become agitated and disoriented, and flee the area.

  4. Birds are irritated by ultrasound in specific frequency ranges, which is undetectable to humans. Bird Chase emits these frequencies discouraging birds from entering a 6,000 sq. ft. area.
Finally, you can help find a solution for this global problem by becoming a member of the Fatal Light Awareness Program or by making a donation. FLAP members receive two issues per year of the newsletter "Touching Down" as well as periodic bulletins.

For more ideas check out our links page.

For more info or to pass on any ideas for preventing window strikes that have worked for you, please click here