Reduce Window Strikes

Studies suggest that collisions with windows cause hundreds of millions of bird deaths every year in the United States alone. Some of these can only be addressed by changes in widespread building and lighting practices, but many preventable collisions also take place with the simple windows of private homes (see the American Bird Conservancy's page on Birds and Collisions to learn more about the broader threat). You've probably witnessed or heard the occasional bird collision at your home - remember that for every incident that you observed, several others probably occurred when you were not present. Fortunately, there are many steps we can take to greatly reduce the danger posed to birds by our own homes.

Place feeders in safe locations

When they sense a predator, birds will often flee a feeder without being too careful about where they're heading. Feeders should be placed either 20+ feet away from windows or within 3 feet, so that they cannot build up enough momentum to harm themselves upon impact. Feeders that attach to the glass are a great option that also alert flying birds to the existence of the window.

Adjust your blinds, close your screens

Some things you can do right now to improve birds' awareness of a barrier are to close screen doors that cover glass doors and half close interior slat blinds. Some interior blinds are sufficiently thick and visible that they can be visible to birds even when fully open; make sure these blinds are pulled down, rather than rolled up. (Be aware, however, that it's often the reflection on the outer surface of the window, in which case you will need to address the window from the outside surface.) Screen doors both improve visibility and provide cushioning.

Stick things on your windows

The more of your window surface that you cover, the less chance there will be of collisions. Window feeders are very effective at signalling to birds that there is an obstacle and are an independently wonderful addition to your feeder lineup. Clinging decals are available in various shapes and styles, including traditional black vinyl stickers, discrete decals that are nearly invisible to human eyes but are clearly seen by birds due to their use of the ultraviolet part of the spectrum, and the new BirdTape from the American Bird Conservancy which offers the most complete coverage for persistent collision problems.

Our most popular window decals are the UV decals made by WindowAlert. These stickers are transparent and nearly invisible to people, but appear clearly to birds who can see the ultraviolet part of the spectrum. Available in multiple designs.

Window feeders prevent injuries both by alerting flying birds to the presence of the window and by bringing feeding birds very close to the window to prevent collisions that sometimes occur when feeders are placed in a danger zone between around 3 and 20 ft from windows. It is also great fun to watch birds from only inches away! We have a variety of window-mounted feeders for both seed-eating birds and hummingbirds.