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Re: Birds Hitting Windows - a new twist

Here in Layton, UT, we had a slightly different problem. A young robin claimed a tree outside our bedroom as his. He would be out there chirping from 3:30 am until way after dark. We have the reflective film on the windows, so he could see himself in the glass reflection. I guess he thought it was another robin who wanted the tree, so he would continually (at least once or twice a minute) fly toward the window, sometimes flaring just before the window but more often hitting it. Mostly a light tap, but once in awhile a very hard hit. Another factor is that when he chirped, it would echo off a school behind us, so he probably thought "that other bird" was answering him back!

We tried several things, including placing decorative wind hangers in the tree between him and the window. He would just move to another branch and fly around the object. We had to finally put white plastic on the outside of the window so he couldn't see any part of the glass. We think that worked, but it has been raining so much and so hard since we did that. Guess we will find out this weekend when the sun comes back. Maybe the robin will be back. I just hope he doesn't continue the window bashing.

Has anyone else had problems with reflective windows and aggressive birds?

Sherry



At 08:47 AM 05/13/2005, james.d.mcintyre wrote:

  ----- Original Message -----
  From: ruthanngreene
  To: ible@yahoogroups.com
  Sent: Friday, May 13, 2005 8:20 AM
  Subject: [IBLE] Birds Hitting Windows


  After all the discussion on this issue, I thought there might be some
  of you interested in the below article from the Chicago area which
  includes links to more info on the subject.

Ruthann


  Birds die hitting windows, buildings by Sheryl De Vore
  Pioneer Press


  Year-round, but especially during migration, many birds fly into
  windows of homes and businesses, some of them getting hurt and others
  perishing. At your home or in small commerical buildings, the birds
  see
  their reflections in the windows, think it's another bird and fly
  toward
  it to try to defend their territory -- especially during mating season
  in spring and summer see the reflection of trees or the sky in the
  windows and fly toward them.

  In addition, thousands upon thousands of birds have been "killed" by
  tall, lit buildings in Chicago along Lake Michigan during spring and
  fall migration.

  Songbirds like wrens, thrushes, warblers, tanagers and sparrows
  migrate
  at night, using the Lake Michigan shoreline as a navigatinal tool. For
  an unknown reason, they are drawn to the lights, fly into the
  buildings
  and meet their demise.

  A relatively new program called Lights Out is helping save thse birds'
  lives. Many of Chicago's tall buildings have turned off their
  decorative
  lights during spring and fall bird migration. Field Museum researchers
  estimate that the program is saving the lives of more than ten
  thousand
  migratory landbirds each year.

  Homeowners can help by simply closing their drapes of big picture
  windows during daylight hours, or hanging a silhouette of a hawk or
  other bird of prey on the window. For more information on Lights Out,
  visit www.lightsout.audubon.org. For information on how to keep birds
  from hitting your home's windows, visit
  http://www.flap.org/new/prefr.htm.

  At the below site there are several other articles that can be
  acessed through a drop down menu.

  http://www.pioneerlocal.com/cgi-bin/ppo-special?
  specialwhatpecial/wildlife/04-28-05-wildlife1.html&paper2









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