We are all familiar with the unmistakable thud of a bird hitting a window. You may or may not know that the vast majority of cases where birds fly into windows are not accidental. Generally, birds fly into your windows after they catch glimpses of their own reflections. They misrepresent these reflections of themselves as other birds, and the more territorial among them will attempt to fly towards these “other birds” to defend themselves and their territory. This story often ends in a *bang*, either with the bird being seriously injured or worse. If you are a nature lover (or someone looking to keep their windows undamaged and smudge free) then you would be interested to know that there are a lot of effective tips and tricks that you can employ to keep your local birds (and your windows) safe. 

To help you prevent any unfortunate injuries to birds, or damages to your home’s glass, we here at Hiegel Glass have compiled some of these tips and tricks for you in the list below.

Install bird tape on your home’s windows and glass doors

De-bird tape is an inexpensive and easy to install way to deter birds away from your home’s windows. The tape is designed in a way so that it is irritating for birds to look at, but it only appears as a simple screen to us. The irritating appearance of this tape works to indicate that your glass windows are, in fact, a barrier and not an opening that they are able to fly into.

Use awnings and sunshades on the exterior of your home

This is a good choice for those of you who would rather not obstruct the view from your windows in any capacity. Awnings and sunshades will effectively prevent any light from reflecting off of your windows. This will keep birds from being lured into your windows by their own reflection. 

Use bug screens

If you live in the south, then you are all too familiar with mosquito screens. These screens are designed to keep mosquitoes and other bugs out of your home when you have your windows open. But, these screens can also prevent birds from colliding with your windows as they provide a visible barrier for birds. By looking at these screens, birds will know that your windows are off-limits. When choosing a screen, choose a mesh that is darker. This darker mesh will be more visible to birds, further preventing any chance of a collision.

Replace existing exterior lights with motion sensing lights

If you notice that these collision incidents are occurring in the evening or at night, then you can try replacing your existing exterior lights with ones that are motion sensing. Many migratory birds travel in the later hours, the lights from your home can disorient these birds and draw them in. This can increase the chance that they will see lights on inside of your house, and potentially collide with your windows. By limiting the time that your exterior lights are on, and by lowering the blinds to prevent lights on inside the house from being visible outside, you can further prevent collision incidents. 

Contact Hiegel Glass today to learn more!