Birds and windows don’t mix. When they come into contact with one another, the bird is usually the looser. Glass reflects the outdoors and birds see the glass as a place to fly through. Research now suggests that in the United States, 1 billion birds die each year due to window strikes. Even when a bird flies away after a strike, it’s estimated that upwards of 60% die within a 24 hour period. This information comes from wildlife rescue organizations’ records of birds brought in for treatment after window collisions.
The numbers are daunting and birds are dying. We human types can mitigate some of that problem by using window decals in the forms of lines, dots, or cutesy decorations.
I’ve opted for cutsey in my window situations.
Decals are easy to put on windows, available through many sources, and last quite a long time. In my own experience, my back garden windows are the main source of bird collisions, obviously because of the feeders. For some years now, I’ve placed decals on those particular windows (I’ll talk about other window remedies later). While I love the aesthetic of a clean, large window, dead or dying birds because of those windows is a non-starter for me. I’ll tolerate some interruption of that sheet of beautiful glass for the sake of even more beautiful birds. I’ve grown used to the decals; they don’t hinder my inside enjoyment of the outside and it’s now a rare event that a bird hits my windows.
This window is in in my living room, the photo taken from outside. It’s easy to see how a bird might think it can fly right through. It’s been 4 years since a bird hit this window; sadly, it was a beautiful Cedar Waxwing. In addition to the decals placed at the bottom half of the window placed a few inches apart, there is an indoor blind hanging in the upper half with slats partially open so that the horizontal slats indicate to birds that the window isn’t a flyway.
When we were in Costa Rica, a number of the places we visited opted for vertical lines on the windows. Some newer buildings are using glass that has dots or lines formed in the glass. Decals, lines drawn on glass with oil-based paint markers, blinds (vertical or horizontal), patterned draperies–anything that disrupts a reflection of a natural landscape is a cue to birds that the window shouldn’t be part of the bird’s flyway. I’ve witness a hawk, and many migratory and resident birds fly towards my windows, to suddenly bank away as they clearly recognized that the path isn’t safe. What they think the window is at that point I have no idea, but that the birds didn’t head straight into the window is a win for the birds. For me, that alone is worth a few in-the-way-decals.
Most of my windows have blinds on the inside and because there are lines, the birds see that those windows are not through-ways. When I raise the blinds, I’ve placed a few decals on the lower part of the windows so that the birds don’t hit the glass.
If you’d like to read more about this problem, the research to mitigate the problem, and how you can prevent bird strikes, check out these links. The first is from Cornell Lab of Ornithology, the second from Audubon.
Why Birds Collide With Windows
Window Strikes Are Even Deadlier for Birds Thank We Thought
Do it for the birds!
My Gardener Says... 
This is an excellent reminder. Because of the way my windows are situated, I’ve almost never had a bird collide with one. In the few instances where it’s happened, it’s always a result of a hawk making a move on the bird at my hanging feeders. In its move away from the hawk, the bird sometimes glances off the sliding glass door, but it always has flown away. While it’s possible the bird later succumbs to injuries, I prefer to think that the glancing blow isn’t as harmful as a full-on collision (or getting snatched by the hawk).
Speaking of the hawk, I thought I saw one dive on a squirrel at the feeders a few days ago. Sure enough, yesterday morning I looked out and there was a hawk, sitting right in the feeder only a few feet away from me. We stared at one another for a minute or two, but when I got up from my chair, the hawk decided it was time to go.
LikeLike
I’ve also suspected once that a Cooper’s drove a White-winged dove into the kitchen window, which is my biggest window. The only birds that hit that window now are the White-winged and weirdly, they usually hit the window that has the screen. I’ve not quite figured out why.
Your hawk just missed a meal and thought it was worth another shot!!
LikeLiked by 1 person
My computer is on a desk adjacent to a window. Some years ago I was sitting there and got suddenly startled by a loud thud on the outside of the window. I realized it was a bird strike. Two more occurred in the following days. I figured the position of the sun at that time of year (I don’t remember what season it was) must have created the illusion of space for a bird to keep flying through. However, I’d never witnessed any bird strikes at the window before, and none have occurred in the years since, so I don’t know what to make of it.
LikeLike
It’s good that you seem to not have many strikes. The only windows that the doves hit are my kitchen and rarely the window in that second photo.
LikeLike
It is really tough to see one hit a window. At my last house, I had blinds that worked well most of the time. I was in a tall building with dots on the windows, which made me feel a bit dizzy, but they helped reduce bird strikes.
LikeLike
I’m glad to know that there are companies and builders recognizing the problems and developing some solutions to lessen the impacts of the…impacts. Poor birds!
LikeLiked by 1 person
I’ve read that vertical stripes get the best score, but I’m glad the decals are working for you. Are they placed inside or outside?
LikeLike
The vertical stripes make sense to me and the birding places I’ve visited seem to favor those. The decals are placed outside. They last quite a long time. I only replace them when they’re beginning to curl at the edges.
LikeLiked by 1 person
That’s a good way to do it with the blinds! During most seasons, in the sunroom I have the floor-length vertical blinds pulled but not closed on the east and west sides, as you mention. The south-facing windows have plants that generally block the view, but I also have some decals for them. Thanks for the reminder to place them when the blinds are fully open. Great post!
LikeLike
Thanks, Beth. Sounds like you’ve got it down and are keeping your birds as safe as possible.
LikeLike