Make Your Windows Safe For Birds!
Glass collisions are taking a huge toll on our birds, with up to a billion birds being killed each year in the U. S. Birds don’t understand windows the way we do – they can’t tell reflections from reality. What appears to them as forest and sky often turns out to be merely a reflection in a solid piece of glass.
About half of those billion bird deaths occur on residential windows, making homeowners a vital part of the solution. Luckily, there are many window treatments that are fairly inexpensive and easy to apply that will allow you to do your part in preventing window strikes and saving bird’s lives. Check out this helpful brochure (Bird Safe Home Brochure) to learn about some of the many effective DIY and commercial options available.
A Simple and Effective Technique
Sacajawea Audubon members have been reporting excellent success with a simple and effective technique using white paint pens to draw vertical lines four inches apart on the outside of problem windows. Birds see the four-inch gap as being too narrow to fly through. Watch our “how to” video on pinstriping problem windows HERE. The white paint pens can be purchased at art supply stores such as the MSU Bookstore or online. Request some advice, a paint pen, or to borrow a metal straight edge by contacting us at birdsafewindows@sacajaweaaudubon.org.
other effective techniques
American Bird Conservancy
- Feather Friendly Tape – https://www.featherfriendly.com/ (available locally in Bozeman). Excellent step-by-step Instructions for installing Feather Friendly Tape: https://flap.org/how-to-install-feather-friendly-tape-to-prevent-bird-window-collisions/ and a YouTube video here: https://youtu.be/_gNW6Ivl4cU
- “Collidescape” window films and tapes: https://www.collidescape.org/
- Acopian Bird Savers (aka Zen window curtains): https://www.birdsavers.com/ and a YouTube video here: https://youtu.be/ZR-fnTZpagE
Many national groups are working on multiple fronts to reduce bird window strikes – from advocating for collision-reducing legislation, to evaluating bird-safe glass products, to educating architects, developers, and homeowners, and more.
For a really deep dive into solutions, check out the American Bird Conservancy’s webpage: https://abcbirds.org/glass-collisions/stop-birds-hitting-windows/. They even have a comprehensive database of tested bird-safe window products and their efficacy ratings: https://abcbirds.org/glass-collisions/products-database/
Bird Collision Frequently Asked Questions: https://abcbirds.org/blog/truth-about-birds-and-glass-collisions
