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Preventing Birds Striking Windows

architectEURE

What are the best practices you have found for keeping birds from striking glass windows and killing themselves by the impact? The issue is not small, but actually urgent, with windows being the leading cause of death among birds, according to birdwatchingdaily.com. The solutions I am seeing online are expensive and esthetically challenging: decals spaced on 4" centers is one common recommendation. Also reading about nets and screens. Are there those of you who have field-tested less intense decal spacing? How about 2' on-center? What about mounting fake owls or hawks outside to scare birds out of the area?

 
Mar 28, 19 5:39 pm

1 Featured Comment

All 16 Comments

starrchitect

Bird feeders outside the windows should mitigate that.

Mar 28, 19 5:49 pm  · 
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Koww

just wait for them to evolve

Mar 29, 19 12:05 am  · 
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walker glass has some good information about bird-friendly glass. 


http://walkerglass.com/products/aviprotek-bird-friendly-glass/bird-friendly-glass/

Mar 29, 19 12:31 am  · 
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randomised

Ornilux:

Mar 29, 19 4:27 am  · 
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randomised

Ornilux:


Mar 29, 19 4:27 am  · 
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babatech

if we use net clothes on the window or by using window paint outside the window can prevent birds from striking

Mar 29, 19 5:45 am  · 
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architectEURE

Great tips. Thanks!

Mar 29, 19 9:19 am  · 
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Non Sequitur

but what about the local cats who depend on the dead birds for sustenance?

Mar 29, 19 9:22 am  · 
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JLC-1

if you ever had a cat you'd know.

Apr 2, 19 12:19 pm  · 
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Non Sequitur

I hate cats.

Apr 2, 19 12:21 pm  · 
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JLC-1

that's your problem

Apr 2, 19 12:22 pm  · 
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Non Sequitur

them be fighting words... for my sinuses.

Apr 2, 19 12:24 pm  · 
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Featured Comment
senjohnblutarsky

We could just stop designing buildings wrapped entirely in glass.  That would probably go a long way.  It'd help make buildings more efficient as well. 

Mar 29, 19 9:54 am  · 
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3tk

Waiting on the bills in NYS addressing this to gain momentum - would be interesting to see the results

Apr 2, 19 12:09 pm  · 
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Not sure if it is still there, but someone installed a plastic owl on this building:


Apr 2, 19 12:53 pm  · 
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JLC-1

helmets

Apr 2, 19 1:49 pm  · 
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Presumably you have already looked at the American Bird Conservancy's Bird-friendly Building Design guidelines and publication?

Besides decals and bird-friendly glass, lighting and other issues come to into play including using "shutters, balconies, overhangs, grilles, or screens to reduce the amount of visible or reflective glass without interfering with the inside view."

Topic has also been covered by NPR

May 5, 19 6:39 pm  · 
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Volunteer

Paint different big cats on the windows. The snow leopard is especially effective: Add some color to the usually sterile building interiors also. 


May 5, 19 7:07 pm  · 
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bowling_ball

I was approached about providing this on a very community-sensitive creek-side project just last week. I was walking the site and a woman approached me who asked about this - it turns out she wrote her master's thesis on song birds and was concerned. 


Truth be told I haven't followed up, so thanks for the reminder.

May 5, 19 8:09 pm  · 
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