How to Keep Birds Away from Flying into Glass Windows

Birds chirping is a sound that we all cherish. Every morning we wake up to the birds’ divine singing. We all adore birds and their sweet twitter.

However, how terrible it feels when you hear a thud against your window. The thud delivers the grave news of a beautiful winged creature getting hurt due to a collision with the window glass. You want to help that innocent little creature, right? Well, you can avoid such accidents in the future by taking some simple measures. So let’s find out how to stop birds from flying into windows and keep them safe. 

Why Do Birds Collide With Glass Windows?

Glass, without any doubt, makes the structure look good. The high aesthetic value of glass justifies its widespread use in the construction industry. We see glass windows and doors everywhere around us, be it commercial buildings or residential structures. Glass has become a major part of the buildings. However, with benefits, the extensive use of glass also poses some problems. One big issue is birds getting hurt due to the collisions. Let’s investigate first, why birds collide with glass windows. 

We usually perceive that the birds typically can’t see the glass in the windows. It’s actually worse than that. The glass reflects light making it an inviting place for the birds to fly in. The birds are attracted to the glass windows due to the foliage and sky reflection and hurt themselves. 

Before getting into the solutions, we must investigate and understand the reasons why birds crash into the glass windows. So here we go. 

There are two main types of window collisions

• Daytime collision 
• Nighttime collision

In the day, birds see the reflection of the surroundings in the glass windows and try to fly past the windows and end up getting hurt. 

However, at night, the birds are lured in by the lighted windows. The birds take the lighted windows in dark as a safe sanctuary and crash into the glass windows trying to go past them. 

How to Stop Birds from Flying into Windows?

Our major concern here is birds getting hurt. And we all want to know the sure-shot solution for how to stop birds from flying into windows. There are some very simple ways of keeping the birds from flying into the glass windows. Let’s explore them. 

Tape It Up And Keep the Birds Off

One very simple and easy way of helping the birds distinguish between glass windows and a plain area is to put tape strips on the windows. Just stick some strips of chart tape on the windows. Simple ¼ inches wide chart strips spaced 4 inches apart are enough to trigger warning to the birds. Special tapes under the name of bird tape are also available in the market. 

And don’t be concerned about the aesthetic value of your home. The bird tape is designed to make the windows look nicer. And if you are up to using the simple chart tape, you can make patterns and level up your style game. 

It’s an inexpensive method and you can easily remove the tape whenever you want. 

Install Zen Curtains to Hold the Birds Off the Windows 

Another idea for preventing the birds from flying into the windows and being injured is to install zen curtains. These curtains are simple, economical, and look great on the windows. 

Zen curtains are actually closely spaced ropes that hang down over the windows making it look like a curtain. The best thing about these curtains is that you can DIY them or get them easily according to your window size. 

The Irony of Using Mosquito Screens to Drive the Birds Away 

Fortunately, keeping the birds off your windows is quite easy. You can try some simple things to warn the intelligent and not-to-mention the innocent birds to stay away. 

One effective way is to use mosquito screens over the window. Just make sure to cover the entire window with the mosquito screens. 

Use the Bird Net to Tip the Birds Off

Bird net is a dedicated and sure way of saving the birds from getting injured or hurt. 

Cover the glass window from outside with a bird net. It is usually installed at 3 inches from the glass. So in case, a bird tries to fly through the glass, it will bounce off the net before hitting the window. Be mindful of the size of the net mesh. Make sure that the net does not entangle the heads or bodies of the birds.

Try the One-Way See-Through Film And Make It Functional Both-ways 

If you are not into getting the replacement glass, you can make your window glass bird-friendly by simple coating. The idea is to make the window glass opaque from the outside by using the one-way see-through film. It is done by coating the glass from the outside. The see-through film allows the people to see out of the window but makes it opaque from the outside. Thus, light doesn’t reflect through the windows and the birds don’t get the illusion of sky or safe passage. 

Stick the ABC Bird Tape For the Birds’ Safety 

Dedicated bird tapes are a great way to keep the birds off the dagger zone (glass windows, that is!) The ABC bird tape is easy to apply and offers a long service life. 

Go for External Sun Shades And Give the “Danger Alerts”

External sun shades for awning can do more than just blocking the sun away. Use them to keep the birds off the glass windows. The sunshades minimize the transparency of the glass, while eliminating the dicey reflections. 

Keep the Bird Feeders At a Safe Distance From the Windows 

We all enjoy feeding the hungry birds. Bird feeders and baths are often set up in our homes. However, make sure to keep the feeders and baths at a safe distance from the windows. So that when the birds catch sight of food, they don’t end up crashing into the windows nearby. The safe distance would be somewhere around 10 to 30 feet from the windows. 

Level Up the Utility of External Shutters

The external shutters are typically used for keeping the sunlight off but they can also prevent the birds from getting hurt. The shutters block off the light thus eliminating the reflecting effect of the glass.

Bird-Friendly Window Glass, The Best Shot At Birds’ Safety 

Want to ensure the bird’s safety at its best? Use bird-friendly glass. 

The bird-friendly glass has special patterns engraved on them and UV reflective coating. The coating makes the patterns visible to the birds while keeping the glass virtually transparent to the human eye. So if you are planning on getting the replacement glass, go for bird-friendly glass to ensure birds’ safety. 

Some Final Words! 

There are plenty of ways to prevent birds from crashing into your windows. Most importantly, every method is simple and easy on the wallet. So you don’t have to get out of your way and do something for the well-being of the little birdies around. Just get the replacement glass, put the shutters down, install the mosquito screens, or do whatever you can, in order to keep the birds from colliding with your windows. Make it safe for nature to flourish. All it takes is some small steps so go for it!