Image of dots attached to a home owners window to help birds see the glass instead of only the reflection of the outside world. Bird-Friendly Habitat Enrollment Application Join a growing community of people across the region who garden with ecology in mind. Enroll Today. How you can help, right now. Donate to Audubon Help secure the future for birds at risk from climate change, habitat loss and other threats.
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Regular insect screens, for example, eliminate reflections and provide a cushion if a bird does hit a window. If you don't have built-in screens, or your screens only cover part of a window, there are several options, like Easy Up Shades and Bird Screens, which can be installed with suctions cups or hooks.
Acopian BirdSavers and Bird Crash Preventers also hang in front of windows and are very effective at bird-window strike prevention. ABC is working hard to make federal buildings bird friendly. Retrofits should go on the outside of the window whenever possible, but some windows are difficult to access from the outside.
So, will it be worth the effort to put something on the inside of the windows? Only a test can provide the answer. Remembering that bigger is better, especially on the inside of a window.
To get started, put a sample of your proposed solution, or even just a sticky note, on the inside of the window. Then look at the window from the outside every hour or two, starting in the early morning. However, in many cases, reflections will mask the view during part or all of the day, and you'll need a solution on the outside of your windows.
Some window-washing companies are now offering installation of bird-friendly measures as an extra service. Birds don't understand the concept of glass as an invisible barrier that can also be a mirror.
They take what they see literally: Glass appears to be habitat they can fly into, whether that habitat is reflected or visible through glass. People often report birds hitting windows after replacing old windows that did not cause many collisions. Several things contribute to this:. These options are only just starting to be available for home windows and will likely entail a special order.
Visit our photo gallery to see how a variety of materials and techniques can be used to make buildings safe for birds and great for people. Check out BirdCalls Blog for frequent updates and insights into birds and window collisions…. Act by December 31! Donate Now. Toggle navigation. Birds Priority Birds. Watch List. Most of the windows birds collide with belong to houses. According to George Fenwick, former president of American Bird Conservancy, a home may kill a dozen or more birds a year without the owner being aware.
Nighttime presents its own challenges. Many birds migrate then, using natural light from the moon, stars, and setting sun as navigational tools. Our brightly illuminated cities and neighborhoods interfere with this behavior by letting artificial light leak into the atmosphere. The glow draws birds in, and they can become trapped.
Once in a beam of light, they may be reluctant to fly back out, or become disoriented and pulled off course. Confused and exhausted, they often collide with buildings, homes, or each other.
Toronto, New York, San Francisco, and other cities have started lights-out programs aimed at persuading building owners to turn off lights from dusk to dawn during migration season.
Results are promising. Lights Out Chicago , for example, has saved 10, birds annually. You can do your part to make the skies friendly for migrating birds by deterring window collisions and minimizing light pollution at your home.
Below are some of the best products on the market for doing just that. Taking the simple steps listed below — in addition to deploying the products described on this page — will dramatically reduce the chance that birds will be harmed in collisions at your home. Move feeders close to your windows — 1. Close curtain and blinds when possible to break up the illusion of clear passage or reflected habitat. Barriers to mount in front of a window to prevent birds that fly into it from striking the glass.
An attractive transparent black fiberglass screen that hangs loosely in front of a pane of glass, providing a gentle cushion for birds that strike it. Screw hooks and suction-cup brackets, included with purchase, secure the screen to a window or sliding door. Custom sizes available. Bird-exclusion netting made from durable, lightweight polypropylene, sold as PollyNet and Woodpecker Netting.
Useful for keeping birds out of eaves or open spaces. Secure with net clips, hooks, or a staple gun. Hang the netting tightly at least two inches from the glass to provide a firm barrier that will keep birds from hitting the window. Soap or paint patterns: Paint patterns on the outsides of windows with soap or tempera paint which can be wiped off with a sponge but won't be washed away by rain. You can find stencils and tempera paint at art and craft supply stores. You can find decals at art and craft supply stores.
Move feeders and baths: Place bird feeders and baths either within 3 feet too close for a collision to be fatal of windows or more than 30 feet away birds will be more likely to recognize that windows are a part of the house.
Bug screens year-round: If you have modern dual-pane windows, you can leave screens up all year to provide cushioning if a bird hits the window. Whitewash: If your shed or basement has windows, consider whitewashing them. Shades and curtains: If you you aren't looking out the window or don't need to let in daylight, keep these closed.
Lights: At night, turn off lights or else close curtains or blinds.
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