What Can You do to Keep Birds from Flying Into Windows?

Birds may not notice glass, or see the landscape reflected in glass windows and be fooled.

Clean, clear windows can appear nearly invisible to birds. Occasionally trees may be reflected in the glass, giving the illusion that the outdoor landscape extends indefinitely. This means birds may be fooled and fly into the window glass, with bad--perhaps even fatal--consequences to the birds. You can minimize this risk with just a few additions.

Things You'll Need

• White construction paper
• Pencil
• Scissors
• Black construction paper
• Clear tape

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Instructions

1. Move bird feeders, if applicable, further away from your window as advised by Bird Watcher's Digest. Alternatively, the University of Minnesota Raptor Center suggests placing the bird feeders within 2 feet of a window. When the birds fly from the feeder, they won't reach speeds high enough to harm them if they accidentally knock against the window.

2. Purchase or create designs of predatory birds (such as crows or owls) to stick to the windows. These may scare birds away. You can make your own at home by drawing one on a piece of white construction paper, cutting it out and using that as a stencil to cut out the same shape from black construction paper. Use clear tape to stick them on the window.

3. Hang strands of tinsel, plastic bags or other easily blown items in front of the windows, as suggested by Bird Watcher's Digest. The movement will frighten birds away.

References

• Bird Watchers Digest: Preventing Window Strikes
• University of Minnesota Raptor Center: Keep Birds From Flying Into Windows