Birds and windows

[Regular.Cyclist]

Since moving to our new home 15 days ago we have had three birds, that we know of, fly into window. Two have been into the window in the front door and the other into a small window at the back of the property. In all cases they have flown away so don’t appear to have suffered serious injury but it’s impossible to know for sure.

Has anyone else had this issue and, if so, how did you solve it?

 

[SuffolkBlue]

The only window that I've had birds fly into is kitchen window. It's not really in what I would consider a flight path but it's the only window without a net curtain!

 

[Alex321]

I'm 67, and can only remember it happening once, in all the houses I have lived in during my life.

We've had more cases of birds getting inside the house (through an open window or door) and struggling to get out again.

 

[Ming the Merciless]

In one of my old offices we had silhouettes of birds of prey on the problem windows, Seemed to work.

 

[DRM]

We had a starling fly into the bedroom window at full speed, the poor thing died, but it was because it was being closely followed by a kite with one it's pals in it's talons! I have never seen such a thing before, the kite was about 5 feet off the ground when it shot straight past me

 

[annedonnelly]

What can they see through the windows they've hit? Sometimes they think there's a route through.

I think mainly when I've had window strikes it's been something being chased by a sparrowhawk - I used to find the imprint of woodpigeons on the window.

The worst I had was at the garden I used to look after - dunnocks kept flying into the greenhouse glass during the winter when it was empty. I think I found at least 3 dead. I ended up hanging all sorts of decorations inside so it didn't look like they could fly through.

 

[OldShep]

Almost a daily occurrence here. We’ve tried the birds of prey silhouette on some windows which didn’t help.
We get some deaths but most leave a few feathers and fly away. Some lay on the ground stunned and we’ve found if you cradle them in the warmth of the hands they recover and fly away.
Some are frightened by the speed of passing trains on WCML and a lot of recent cases they’ve been scared by a SparrowHawk who is working the area.
Picture of a recovery last year

 

[Regular.Cyclist]

Read advice on the RSPB website suggest “multiple decals“ on the windows at its possible its more reflections of trees etc that they are seeing in the glass. Mrs RC is less keen on that idea due to how it would “look”. There is a lot of aerial activity round this way, I counted over 20 small birds, sparrows, chaffinches, blue tits and the like, on Saturday morningso am keen to get some solution, even if only to reduce the frequency.

 

[Mad Doug Biker]

It makes me feel sad.

The only Goldcrest (Britain's smallest garden bird I think) I have ever seen flew into my bedroom window and killed itself. I heard it hit too. 😭

It is the only one I've ever known of here and was probably just passing through. 😏

 

[Mad Doug Biker]

I think I buried it in the garden, it was quite a while ago now (EDIT: over 6 years ago now as I have just remembered that my late Mum* was visiting at the time and was just

"Poor little thing!" 🙁


* She did not, however, fly into a window, before you ask! 😆

... Sorry Mum! 😂


Sorry, I've just found that inordinately funny! 😂😂😂 I clearly needed that! 😂😂😂).

 

[Beebo]

If you have only just moved in, maybe you have changed the way the window looks.
Have you removed curtains and blinds?
Can you see all the way through your house to a window on the other side, so it looks like a flyable route?

 

[T4tomo]

I think I buried it in the garden, it was quite a while ago now (EDIT: over 6 years ago now as I have just remembered that my late Mum* was visiting at the time and was just

"Poor little thing!" 🙁


* She did not, however, fly into a window, before you ask! 😆

... Sorry Mum! 😂).

Hopefully not buried in the garden either? 😘

 

[Regular.Cyclist]

If you have only just moved in, maybe you have changed the way the window looks.
Have you removed curtains and blinds?
Can you see all the way through your house to a window on the other side, so it looks like a flyable route?

Nothing has changed in terms on curtains and blinds and there is no direct line of sight through the building.

Approaching the front door, from outside, it’s difficult to see inside until you are a few steps away due to trees and bushes in the front garden reflecting off the glass. I suspect the reflections are the problem with birds thinking it’s just more trees.

 

[Mad Doug Biker]

Hopefully not buried in the garden either? 😘

Oh yes, she's under the patio, just over to the right! 😂

 

[Mad Doug Biker]

... She loved that spot! 😂