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ICC
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# Posted: 3 Feb 2022 11:50 - Edited by: ICC
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Many home windows have a grid of smaller panes separated by muntins. Some windows have a grille inserted to give the appearance of small panes but are actually contiguous panes of large glass.
Other windows have no muntins, grilles, or grids. I noticed several years ago that birds were frequently flying into the windows of the new home, whereas they never flew into the windows in the old ranch house. The difference being the old windows had a bunch of smallish panes with a grid of muntins joining them. The new windows have large clear spans of glass. A 68 x 48 slider is two panels of approx 33x48 size.
Birds don't see the glass. They don't know what a window is. They see the reflection of the sky, or trees, etc. So to a bird a window may just look like everywhere outside. And they often fly into the glass. It happens a lot in the cities with glass walled tall buildings apparently.
I used to find birds dead on the ground outside after they impacted a window. Sometimes I saw them get snatched up by a hawk, sometimes while still twitching. Apparently, the bird often seems to be okay, only to die from injuries later.
A young nephew provided me with a solution. (picture below). Two strips of wood, some small screw eyes (I used stainless steel), and some paracord is needed. The birds can see the cords and can gauge the size of the opening while in flight. Four inches or less is suggested for the separation distance. The paracord top ends are knotted and the cord hangs in the upper screw eye. The lower end is just slipped through the screw eye, not tied. Leaving the lower end loose and longer than needed makes cleaning the windows with a squeegee easier.
About 15 months ago I did this to the windows that were being flown into. Since then not a single bird has flown into the glass. I've been meaning to post this but never got around to it.
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Steve_S
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# Posted: 3 Feb 2022 12:09
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A lady down the road (has many yard sales etc) did something very similar but she put some glass beads and crystal pieces from an old chandelier on the strings. It caught my eye so I asked about it and she said it was to deter birds from hitting the glass (she has a lot of big windows). Then she added, that the beads & crystals and add weight generate a bit of a light show inside, she took me to see and WOW quite amazing and very "soft" too. She also said that since doing it, she sees more hummingbirds than before at her feeders but thinks it "may" be because of the beads and stuff.
Now if only they could do similar for Tall Glass Buildings which kill millions of birds every year worldwide.
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gcrank1
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# Posted: 3 Feb 2022 13:11
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We have big glass too on the old house. Few years back we found some 'stick on' leaf shapes; they look like frosted etching but are thin plastic peel & stick (no real stickum) that you randomly apply.
They help, but dont eliminate the strikes. We tended to no see them after up for a while. Wonder if the birds are like that too?
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ICC
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# Posted: 3 Feb 2022 13:25 - Edited by: ICC
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I saw those stick on things but just did not like them. But I understand they can work and it's just my dislike of them that keeps me from using them. A friend found that drawing lines on the outside with a fluorescent yellow highlighter marker worked and was virtually invisible to the human eye, but needed refreshing every so often and after washing the glass.
I have not had a single hit since putting them up, so am happy. There were always 'ghost' bird imprints of dust on the glass wherever a bird hit. No more.
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Ontario lakeside
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# Posted: 4 Feb 2022 02:58
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We put black silhouettes of flying birds, completely eliminated window strikes.
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gcrank1
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# Posted: 4 Feb 2022 09:57
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I thought about putting an owl decoy on the deck rail near our big window.
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BRADISH
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# Posted: 4 Feb 2022 12:13
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Quoting: gcrank1 I thought about putting an owl decoy on the deck rail near our big window.
I like the idea of an Owl decoy as I have seen them be incredibly effective for keeping ducks off lake docks, however at our cabin we have a resident owl (i believe, never actually seen him) that like to sit on the railing of our front porch as a perch. I suppose it gives him a wonderful vantage point. While I am happy he keeps the mice at bay, he seems to enjoy 'painting' our deck in the meantime.  Terrible stuff it is. Stains everything, very gross. I wouldn't want to risk the decoy owl attracting the real thing!
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gcrank1
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# Posted: 4 Feb 2022 13:35
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May the owl decoy would claim the space and the real one would stay away? Ive never seen owls fighting but I dont know?
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