How do I keep birds from flying into my bay window?
November 17, 2022 7:52 AM Subscribe
Every day at least one bird flys into my big bay window. How can I stop this from happening?
I have multiple sun catchers attached inside, which is supposed to help. I like keeping the curtains open because it gets a lot of sun and I have tons of plants on a table in front of the window. But literally every day at least one bird smashes into it. They aren't damaging the window, that I can tell, but I feel awful looking outside and seeing them on the ground knocked senseless. They usually get up after a while and fly away. But how can I stop this without blocking the sunlight or filling the window up with crap? Are they seeing all of the plants inside and thinking it's a sanctuary?
I have multiple sun catchers attached inside, which is supposed to help. I like keeping the curtains open because it gets a lot of sun and I have tons of plants on a table in front of the window. But literally every day at least one bird smashes into it. They aren't damaging the window, that I can tell, but I feel awful looking outside and seeing them on the ground knocked senseless. They usually get up after a while and fly away. But how can I stop this without blocking the sunlight or filling the window up with crap? Are they seeing all of the plants inside and thinking it's a sanctuary?
Best answer: Tips for Reducing Window Strikes at Home
posted by MrBadExample at 8:11 AM on November 17, 2022
posted by MrBadExample at 8:11 AM on November 17, 2022
Best answer: This comic has some ideas, and does suggest that yep, birds are seeing the plants inside and thinking "hey, trees!"
They suggest hanging things on the outside of the windows, as well. You say you have suncatchers, but they don't really get that that signifies "invisible barrier", it's just "a thing hanging over those plants I see". But if you hang something on the outside of your windows, it'll see those.
You do say you're not all that into putting too much in the windows, though - so an idea in the last panel, putting up a screen on the outside in front of the glass, may help. That's more of a cushioning effect - if a bird still does aim for the window, it'll hit the screen first, and that'll absorb some of the shock of impact.
The comic has a link to an organization with more ideas.
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 8:14 AM on November 17, 2022 [1 favorite]
They suggest hanging things on the outside of the windows, as well. You say you have suncatchers, but they don't really get that that signifies "invisible barrier", it's just "a thing hanging over those plants I see". But if you hang something on the outside of your windows, it'll see those.
You do say you're not all that into putting too much in the windows, though - so an idea in the last panel, putting up a screen on the outside in front of the glass, may help. That's more of a cushioning effect - if a bird still does aim for the window, it'll hit the screen first, and that'll absorb some of the shock of impact.
The comic has a link to an organization with more ideas.
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 8:14 AM on November 17, 2022 [1 favorite]
Best answer: Lots of different strategies to try! Some of them are more unobtrusive than others - personally I like this white dot pattern.
posted by mskyle at 8:17 AM on November 17, 2022 [2 favorites]
posted by mskyle at 8:17 AM on November 17, 2022 [2 favorites]
We have just printed and cut out bird silhouettes. Then we tape the white side facing out. This has been effective in New Mexico.
posted by NotLost at 8:39 AM on November 17, 2022 [1 favorite]
posted by NotLost at 8:39 AM on November 17, 2022 [1 favorite]
Oh and also turn off the lights at night during migration seasons.
posted by aniola at 8:42 AM on November 17, 2022 [1 favorite]
posted by aniola at 8:42 AM on November 17, 2022 [1 favorite]
We've had a bird strike problem ever since we had our windows replaced with higher efficiency types (which are much more reflective on the outside). We looked for the least garish solution we could find because we didn't want to put tape all over our windows and patio doors. What has worked for us has been simple and relatively unobtrusive, and can be temporarily removed for window cleaning and when we have guests over: we hung black paracord (Amazon link) from the tops of the windows, vertically down, spaced 4" apart. Our windows are framed with wood, so I simply nailed a very small nail every 4" across the top above the windows, made a knot at one end of a strip of paracord and looped it over the nail, let the cord drape down, and cut the cord at the bottom of the window.
Yes, from the outside, it looks a little bit like we have vertical bars across the windows, but we don't find it too ugly. It's a little less visible from the inside looking out. We don't put it on all the windows because bird strikes don't seem to be a problem for all the windows (probably due to a combination of where birds spend the most time around here and what gets reflected in the windows).
I don't believe we've had a bird strike since we did this earlier this year.
posted by StrawberryPie at 10:30 AM on November 17, 2022 [1 favorite]
Yes, from the outside, it looks a little bit like we have vertical bars across the windows, but we don't find it too ugly. It's a little less visible from the inside looking out. We don't put it on all the windows because bird strikes don't seem to be a problem for all the windows (probably due to a combination of where birds spend the most time around here and what gets reflected in the windows).
I don't believe we've had a bird strike since we did this earlier this year.
posted by StrawberryPie at 10:30 AM on November 17, 2022 [1 favorite]
Go to your local craft store and buy a white marker made for writing on glass. Use a straight edge to draw vertical lines from top to bottom on your window. Space the lines about 3.5” apart. They’re not super obtrusive, they hold up to window washing, and you can easily remove the lines with a plastic scraper if needed. You may need to refresh the lines once a year or so, but it’s so quick and easy to do that it’s not a big deal.
posted by ReginaHart at 4:41 PM on November 17, 2022
posted by ReginaHart at 4:41 PM on November 17, 2022
These uv reflective decals work for me. They are pretty much invisible from the inside and the strikes completely stopped when I put them up.
For me, part of the problem seems to be the amount of sun falling directly on the window surface - sun vs. shade, etc. So you might try playing with that at first - it's possible that adding more shade plants outside (or cutting some back) might change the reflectivity and cut down the problem a lot.
posted by bluesky78987 at 7:11 AM on November 18, 2022 [1 favorite]
For me, part of the problem seems to be the amount of sun falling directly on the window surface - sun vs. shade, etc. So you might try playing with that at first - it's possible that adding more shade plants outside (or cutting some back) might change the reflectivity and cut down the problem a lot.
posted by bluesky78987 at 7:11 AM on November 18, 2022 [1 favorite]
We've had good luck with cat silhouette decals. Went from once or twice a month to maybe once in the last couple years.
posted by stray thoughts at 7:23 PM on November 18, 2022
posted by stray thoughts at 7:23 PM on November 18, 2022
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posted by RonButNotStupid at 7:57 AM on November 17, 2022 [5 favorites]