Minimizing Bird Window Collisions

Washington
Crossing
Audubon
Society

	Bird and Window Collisions
	Modified from a USFWS Brochure

Contemporary homes and modern office buildings often use insulated and reflective glass to replace walls. These windows are often they are lethal to birds. Unfortunately, many birds cannot distinguish the difference between the real sky and a reflection of the sky in a window. In the United States alone, it is estimated that each year during migration, millions of birds fly full tilt into windows and are seriously injured or killed.

You can minimize these collisions by breaking up the reflection on the outside of the window with a window screen, flash tape and bird netting. Planting trees and installing window awnings to block the sun from hitting the window may eliminate some reflection. Life-size, plastic falcons, owls and balloons and falcon or owl silhouettes attached to windows with suction cups may help.

Birds can fly into windows when they're frightened while visiting a feeding station. Either move the feeders a considerable distance away from the window, or immediately adjacent to the window (so birds don't get up to flight speed before hitting the window).

Adapted from "Backyard Bird Problems", USFWS. Click here for other backyard bird problem solutions.

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Last revision: Sunday, October 24, 1999 - 10:16 PM