Dizzy, I'm so dizzy!

[micpic]

This cardinal did the Ker-plunk against my picture window. I picked him up and put him in a cardboard box and brought him inside to warm up and regain his wits. The image of him is when I put him back outdoors on my deck.

I've read that you should keep your feeders 30 feet away from all windows which I do, or within 3 feet of your windows. I have blinds on all my windows to try to keep reflection and glare down. Since I have done this the frequency rate of birds into windows has gone down alot but I have had a few smackings.

My question is does anyone else have some little tricks that seem to help?

I've tryed the hawk image taped to the window and that did'nt work.

Mike

[Steve Foss]

If you have windows situated in such a way that it looks like birds can fly right through and out the other side, that'll cause more problems than anything. That'd be a window by the feeders and another window across the room, so it seems to the bird it can go right through the "tunnel."

In that case, I always make sure the shades are pulled on the window away from the feeder.

Otherwise, reflective windows probably have the same effect on birds as wall mirrors have on us. Reflecting what's in front of them, just as it looks to us as though the room is much larger, so it looks to birds as though they're just going to continue to fly in the outdoors when they approach a window.

There's not a lot we can do about this case, but aside from the silhouettes, which can help, we mounted a brightly colored windsock with the tails on it, and it fluttered in even the lightest breeze, alerting the birds that the window wasn't a place to fly to.

[micpic]

Thanks Steve I'll try that.

[WDH]

Add taut screens to window exteriors. Not only will screens break up the reflection, but if birds do collide with the screen it will cushion the blow and significantly reduce the chance of injury. I use fruit tree netting on my windows.

[micpic]

I use the screens in summer, but not in winter. Tree netting sounds ok, I could cut a circle in it where I take shots thru with the camera. I hope they don't get hung up in it, do they? Thanks for the advice!

Mike

[WDH]

Mike I have never had a bird get hung up in the netting YET. This is a shot I just took thru the net. The only time the net shows up in a pic is when it's a real close shot.

[micpic]

WDH, I could'nt get your pic to open. My computor is about to crash and I've been having problems. At 11 years old it's time for an upgrade. I''m just holding on till the last moment. Very few of my pictures are shot thru the window so netting is'nt a problem. In fact, I have a friend who's wife runs a gardening business and I get a discount, so I'll check with her. thanks for the advice.

Mike

[Crow Hunter]

Google a product called window alert. these are nearly clear decals that you stick on the outside of the windows; they are not very obvious to human eyes but reflect light to birds in such a way that keeps them from hitting the windows. we had some windows that birds were hitting fairly often, after putting on the decals 99.9% of the problem was solved. They come off easily when you want to replace them. Ours are in the shape of hummingbirds, the hummingbirds come up and hover and look at them! Not very expensive, I got mine at a wild bird store in West St. Paul, but they are likely available a lot of places.

[micpic]

I never heard of that either. I'll start looking. Thanks for the tip!

Mike