How To Prevent Birds From Hitting Windows

Bird-Strike Prevention: How to Stop Birds From Striking Windows

Up to 1 billion birds die later hit windows in the U.S. each year, and about 50% of these striking home windows. Addressing collisions at home makes a huge difference for birds, and there are many bird window deterrents you tin can choose to fix your glass.

Interested in a quick glimpse at some popular solutions? A handful of products are below – but don't forget to check out all of your options!
Ready to get started? Visit our comprehensive bird-friendly products database to find the right solution for you!
Looking for practise-it-yourself domicile solutions? Check out our Bird-friendly Windows Flyer.

Bird-Rubber Windows: Start past Identifying Bug

If you're wondering how to keep birds from flying into windows, you might assume that applying bird-friendly solutions to all window is necessary, but that may not be the case: Often, a small number of windows frequently a majority of the collisions. If yous identify and prepare only the deadliest windows, you can solve nigh of the problem by addressing a fraction of your glass.

Starting time by adding a retrofit on these priority windows:

Any window where you have heard a bird hit or where you accept found a dead bird.
Large windows, especially those that reflect habitat (including heaven) or through which y'all can see sky or greenery on the other side of the building.
Windows near bird feeders and bird baths.

Then keep paying attention, and take regular walks around the business firm. If another bird hits a window, add together a retrofit. Before long, you volition have retrofitted a handful of your windows and saved a lot of birds!

Products That Prevent Collisions

Looking for glass for a new building, or a solution to fix existing windows? Search our comprehensive textile database to notice the right production.

How to Foreclose Birds from Hit Windows

Cheers to enquiry and experience we at present know better how to stop birds from flying into windows. There are several ways to exercise so: Employ visible patterns to the outside of the glass. (Patterns on the within are ofttimes ineffective because they can be hidden by reflections on the outside of the glass.) We focus on the patterns, just birds focus on the spaces. For the birds, patterns must appear to be solid objects with adjacent spaces that are too modest to fly through.

Most birds volition avoid drinking glass with vertical or horizontal stripes (or other markings) spaced ii" apart. Stripes should be at least 1/8" wide. A expert dominion of thumb — you should be able to see the pattern conspicuously from 10 anxiety away. White stripes tend to perform improve because they reflect about light so are visible against more types of background reflections. A translucent line won't show up too. Patterns of dots can as well piece of work if the bore of the dots is at least ¼". Of course, since the spacing is what's important, it doesn't have to be dots or stripes — y'all can use your imagination.

Also, keep in mind that bigger is better: The wider the lines/dots, the more effective they will exist because birds will meet them from greater distances. Again, though, the critical upshot is the spacing. Until recently, we talked virtually the 'ii×4 dominion' because enquiry past Klem and Roessler showed that vertical lines spaced 4" apart would terminate a lot of collisions – and that's still true. All the same, many modest songbirds, and particularly hummingbirds, tin can and will fly through a 4" gap. Two-inch spacing, vertically and horizontally (or at an angle), is enough to dissuade almost all species. For three dimensional solutions similar Acopian Birdsavers, mounted away from the glass, 4″ vertical spacing has proved to be effective.

"At Atlanta Audubon, nosotros take retrofitted seven buildings with Collidescape pic and have been very happy with the results. The retrofit looks sleek and as well makes the windows bird-friendly and allows for public pedagogy."

Adam Betuel

Conservation Director
Atlanta Audubon Society

Retrofits can price a few pennies per window or can be a long-term investment in your home. Patterns and even artwork done on glass with non-toxic tempera paint volition concluding a surprisingly long time, can exist easily removed or replaced, and brand a nice family or school project, providing a great way to decorate windows for holidays and other special occasions. Other kinds of paint can besides exist effective, but may be harder to remove. Tape and bird window decals work well if you follow the spacing rules outlined above. In a pinch, you can use sticky notes or fifty-fifty depict on the windows with a bar of soap.

Patterns do not have to be on the glass itself. Three-dimensional solutions in front of the glass are highly effective and can also be unobtrusive. Regular insect screens, for case, eliminate reflections and provide a absorber if a bird does hit a window. If you lot don't take congenital-in screens, or your screens just cover part of a window, there are several options, similar Easy Up Shades and Bird Screens, which can exist installed with suctions cups or hooks. Acopian BirdSavers and Bird Crash Preventers also hang in front end of windows and are very effective at bird-window strike prevention.

Visit the habitation windows section of our Products & Solutions Database to see these and other types of bird-saving products, likewise as links to websites where they are available.

Take Action for Birds

ABC is working difficult to brand federal buildings bird friendly. Bring together us today and ask Congress to pass the Bird-Safe Buildings Act!

Bird Collision Prevention for Hard-to-Reach Windows

Retrofits should proceed the exterior of the window whenever possible, only 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?

Merely a test can provide the reply. Remembering that bigger is ameliorate, especially on the inside of a window. To get started, put a sample of your proposed solution, or even just a sticky annotation, on the inside of the window. Then look at the window from the exterior every hour or two, starting in the early morn.

If you can clearly see your test material, the birds will too, and your "within" solution (remember proper spacing) may be somewhat effective. However, in many cases, reflections will mask the view during role or all of the day, and y'all'll need a solution on the exterior of your windows. Some window-washing companies are at present offer installation of bird-friendly measures equally an extra service.

Why Birds Hitting Drinking glass

Birds don't sympathize the concept of glass as an invisible barrier that tin too exist a mirror. They take what they see literally: Drinking glass appears to be habitat they can fly into, whether that habitat is reflected or visible through glass.

Replacement Windows

People oft report birds hit windows later on replacing old windows that did not cause many collisions. Several things contribute to this:

Many new windows use multi-layered and energy-efficient coatings, both of which make windows more reflective.
Screens may be sandwiched between panes of glass and/or may cover just one-half of a window instead of existence full screens on the exterior.
Individual panes of new glass are often larger than the panes they replaced and lack the muntins and mullions — the "dividers" that used to agree the smaller pieces of glass, while too appearing as obstacles to birds.

In that location are several strategies for new windows and doors (including sliding glass doors):

Social club total external screens, even if the windows do non open.
Choose replacement windows that are not bird friendly and then employ the retrofits discussed above.
Ask for bird-friendly glass.

When ordering replacement windows, it is possible to ask for bird-friendly glass that includes patterns in ultraviolet, ceramic ("frit"), etch, or printed patterns. These options are only just starting to be available for home windows and will probable entail a special order. Await at the new glass options in our Products & Solutions Database for an idea of what might exist possible.

Bird-Friendly Buildings Gallery

Visit our photo gallery to meet how a diversity of materials and techniques tin be used to make buildings safe for birds and swell for people.