Scare Bird: Protecting Birds from Crashing into Windows and
Doors
Birds of many types have been killed by
flying into glass windows and doors. In
fact, according to the Audubon Society,
recent evidence shows that collisions
with glass may be a major source of
avian mortality that's widely
overlooked. Experts believe that about
100 million birds die each year in
collisions with buildings and skyscrapers
in the United States and Canada alone.
Certainly it is troubling to the
homeowner, many of whom are looking
for ways to help keep birds from such
destructive action.
The prominent use of glass as a
construction material has led to one
category of bird collisions. The birds,
either fast-flying or frightened, simply
do not see the glass at all.
They fly into it without being aware of
its existence.
To address this problem, many people
have taken to using a stylized silhouette
of a sharp-shinned hawk and attaching it
to their large glass areas. The shape
seems to make the birds aware of the
solid material of the window or door and
they avoid it as if it were a wall--which it
really is.
The silhouette here is the one used by
most homeowners. We are providing it
here for your use, to make larger, to
trace, to put on stronger backing for
attaching to your window. We hope its
use will help you in saving birds and
enjoying your property without worry
about birds.
However, the silhouette will not help if
the bird is pecking at or attacking your
window. This is more-aggressive
behavior typical in the breeding season.
The bird may be perceiving its own
reflection as a competitor and
attempting to drive it away by
"attacking" the window. The Audubon
Society notes that songbirds may repel
other individuals in order to reduce
competition for mates, food, and secure
nesting to increase their chances of
successfully raising their young.
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