Window protection

[Mousie]

I've got problems with birds flying into my window, now the trees are in leaf I can see why, as there is a perfect reflection in it and of course there are baby birds everywhere now, one of the baby woodpeckers hit it this morning, so I am going to have to do something.

BUT all the window stickers I have found so far are of birds of prey, this window is by the feeding station, _ I don't want to frighten them all away.

Should I just get loads of coloured butterflies or something instead? I have tried a few small stickers on the windows, but it doesn't work so I will need either much bigger stickers or loads of them.

[TeresaW]

A net curtain? I know it obscures your view of the birds, but at least they will be protected (as will your windows).

Actually my mum came up with a solution, she hangs a brightly coloured wind chime in the window, which seems to help. It doesn't stop them crashing into her kitchen window, nothing seems to stop that, but at least they are safe from the front one. Better looking than stickers too!

[Littlesparrow]

I use a few butterfly stickers myself, the ones you can peel off and move around.

[Mousie]

Even with the blind down inside the reflection is still amazingly strong at certain times of the day - I think I will try net curtains and butterflies. Littlesparrow, which ones do you use, I realise the stickers need to be waterproof, but have only found the inside type so far?

[Littlesparrow]

My butterfly stickers are on the inside of the widows, just a couple on each. It works we haven't had any further accident., i think I got them off the Betterwear catalog or similar.

We had a spate of birds flying into the windows when the buzzard was hanging around the garden picking off the Wood pigeons and doves I think if the birds got scared and were trying to get away making them more careless.

[posie]

You must move the feeding station further out...well away from the window..I had same problem, nothing worked except moving the food supply.....Posie

[SheffieldLass]

I have this problem too. Just this last week a fledgling thrush and a fledgling tree sparrow hit one of my windows and died. On that side of the house there are no feeding stations. It is clear blue skies and the very strong reflections of the forest opposite that are the cause at the moment, together with immature and inexperienced birds that are still learning to fly and have not learnt their local environment. Sometimes having the blind down seems to make it worse. Two of my windows are both reflection prone and see through. But at the moment it is the upstairs windows on the shady side of the house, where there is no view through that seem to be causing the problem.

There are different types of stickers, some for where reflections are the problem, and others where seeing through windows to the garden beyond is the problem. So you do need to get the right type. You may need both for some windows. They do need to be put on the outside, because if they are on the inside the reflections will make them invisible.

These are some of the UV reflecting ones
Ernest Charles Window Alerts (JJ7-JJ7B)

These are black ones for see-through to the garden windows, and red ones for where reflections are a problem.
CJ WildBird Foods [UK]. Wild Bird food, seed, feeders, nest boxes, bird houses, water baths and more. Online Shop

I hope this helps.

[Mousie]

Thank you for all the advice - it is definitely reflection that is the problem so would that mean the UV ones would be the best - or the red shapes. Though I'm worried the hawk shapes would frighten the birds away altogether - or do they not do that?/
It's a very small garden!

[SheffieldLass]

Originally Posted by Mousie

Thank you for all the advice - it is definitely reflection that is the problem so would that mean the UV ones would be the best - or the red shapes. Though I'm worried the hawk shapes would frighten the birds away altogether - or do they not do that?/
It's a very small garden!

I think they are savvy enough to know that it isn't a real hawk, but the shape is something that they would be alert to, so I guess they might see and react to it a split second before they might react to a shape of a butterfly, say.

I'm not sure how the ultraviolet ones work where reflection is the problem. I've wondered that myself. Maybe others on here have experience? I've been meaning to get both types, seeing that I have both problems .