Why do birds fly into windows? How you can make them safer and care for the injured

Alyse Messmer
·2 min read

According to the American Bird Conservancy, every year in the United States about 1 billion birds fly into glass and are killed.

When birds see a window, they see a reflection of the sky or trees and believe its safe to fly towards, and according to The Humane Society of the United States, “at least half of the birds who hit windows die from their injuries or because another animal killed them while they were stunned and couldn’t escape or protect themselves,” its website states.

Here are five ways you can make your windows safer for birds and decrease the number of bird collisions this year:

  1. Add a screen or a net outside your window, about 2”-3” away from the surface. This will allow the birds to bounce off of the window instead of hitting it.

  2. Put decals on your window. Stores such as Amazon have a variety of window decals made to reflect light and deter birds from flying into the window. You can also paint designs on windows to help deter birds with soap or washable paints. Birds focus on the spaces between designs, so make sure not to space them too far apart.

  3. Put strips of tape on your window, but be cautious of the spacing. The Humane Society suggests using tape strips outside the window, lined up vertically. If you use white tape, space the vertical strips four inches apart, and if you use black tape strips, spaced an inch apart. The spacing between the tape is important as if it’s too spread apart, birds may think they could fly between the tape strips.

  4. Install external window shutters, awnings or shades. You can close the shades to get rid of the deceiving reflection of the window, or use an awning or shade to limit the reflection.

  5. Install vertical blinds, not horizontal. Vertical blinds are better at deterring birds, especially when only open halfway or less.

What if a bird has hit my window?

According to the Humane Society, there are five things you can do to help a bird that has had a collision:

  1. Gently handle the bird with a towel and put it in a cardboard box or paper bag with holes for air, but that is securely closed.

  2. Keep the bird in a warm, dark quiet place.

  3. Check on the bird in the box or bag every 30 minutes, but do not touch the bird.

  4. If the bird is recovering, carefully take the bird outside and open the box or bag to see if it exits. If it does not, gently take the box back inside.

  5. If the bird does not recover but is still breathing, contact a wildlife rehabilitator.