Spring 2001 Table of Contents

Window treatments minimize bird collisions

The age-old problem of birds flying into windows recently solicited some "chat" among Wildlife Society members over the Internet.

Here are the tried and true, and sometimes new, solutions they came up with that you might try:

• Move bird feeders and baths further away from windows (and keep those binoculars near the window inside to watch birds from afar)

• Leave windows dusty or leave screens on year-round to cut down on reflections (truly after the heart of anyone who hates spring cleaning, or doesn't "do" windows!)

• Landscape with plants in locations and heights that discourage birds from flying near windows

• Place dark-colored netting over exterior of windows

• Hang mylar strips or fluorescent orange flagging or surveyor's tape so they flutter over window exterior

• Keep shades drawn (and resign yourself to watching birds from other spots in your home)

• Remove reflective plastic coating on windows

• Put lots of different shape silhouette stickers on the outside of the window to break up the reflection; a hawk silhouette alone is not always effective, and inside stickers may not work at all.

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