Birds hitting windows

For three days the same bird has hurled itself into my window. Tried everything and finally found a good trick. Cut out a bird silhouette on dark paper and tape it to the window.

 

now you'll have hawks trying to get your cutout!

 

Yep, it's mating season. He's trying to show off But really, I have several silhouettes (the ones not visible to humans but birds see them from the outside). As the sun shifts it reflects the trees, clouds, sky onto the windows and the birds don't see the window and they'll fly into it. I usually found dead birds (usually doves) on my deck from flying into the windows, but not since then.

 

some helpful hints...
Birds usually hit windows because of reflections. Birds will focus on objects reflected on the glass surface, and not focus on the surface itself. Birds have excellent vision, but they cannot focus simultaneously on both the objects reflected in the glass and on the surface of the glass itself, just as we cannot simultaneously focus on the reflection of our face in a mirror and the reflection of a wall that is behind us. The discrepancy in distance between the reflected image the bird is focusing on and the window itself may be dramatic.

Sometimes it is possible to eliminate the reflection by lighting the window from behind or by adjusting curtains or blinds. You may wish to experiment. Remember if you can see reflections, so can a bird, and to a bird those reflections can be deadly. By putting an object on the window the bird is given something to focus upon where the window actually is and thus is given an opportunity to see the glass itself.

The most effective object to fasten to a reflective window is a black silhouette of a hawk or small falcon in flight. These silhouettes can be cut from black construction paper, or are sometimes available from retailers specializing in the sale of bird feeding products and from naturalist organizations. With adhesives on the back they are fastened to the outside surface of the glass.

Other objects that can be fastened to the outside of the window include paper flowers, colorful decals, stained glass ornaments, children's drawings or strips of paper. In extreme instances some people smear Bon Ami (to cut the reflective property of glass) on to their windows in the spring and fall when mirgrant birds are passing through the area. Because the reflection on a window is on the outside surface, objects fastened inside may not reduce the reflection, particularly if they are dark objects. However, you should experiment with different ideas to see what works best.

Some people have had good luck by hanging attractive wind chimes in front of the windows, the closer the better (without, of course, risking damage to the windows).