How to Stop Birds from Hitting Windows

A lot of birds hit windows every year. Most of the time it happens at regular houses, not big city skyscrapers. If you feed birds in your yard, you've probably noticed a bird collision with the glass. It’s a common thing for anyone with a backyard feeder.

Usually, we go outside and see a bird on the ground and wonder what happened. You might have stickers on your glass already. But the truth is that most of the advice out there doesn't actually stop the birds from hitting the glass.

In fact, some things we do to help—like where we put the bird feeder—can make it easier for birds to get hurt. It usually comes down to just a few feet of distance.

The Distance Where Birds Get Hurt

When a bird hits a window, it's mostly about momentum. I've spent a lot of time watching birds at feeders, and they all have a specific way of taking off.

A bird like a cardinal or a chickadee doesn't weigh much. But when they get scared at a feeder, they fly very fast.

If your feeder is about ten feet away from the window, that's the distance where the most hits happen. It's just enough space for the bird to reach full speed. But it's not enough space for them to realize the reflection of the trees isn't real.

At ten feet, they hit the glass with too much force. Even if they fly away after a few minutes, they often have internal injuries that cause problems later.

Putting Your Feeder in The Right Spot

To stop these hits, you just need to change where the bird starts its flight. The safest place for a feeder is actually right on the window or within a few feet of the glass (three feet or less).

When the feeder is that close, birds can't build up any speed. If they get spooked, they might touch the window, but they don't have enough space to reach a velocity that causes injury. They usually just fly off fine.

The other safe choice is to move the feeder far away. About thirty feet is a good distance. This gives the bird enough time to see the house as a solid wall and fly around it. Anything in the middle is where the risk is highest.

Why One or Two Stickers Don't Work

Most of us have tried putting a single hawk sticker or a leaf decal on the window. Unfortunately, these don't do much.

Birds don't see a hawk sticker and think a predator is there. They just see a small object to fly around. If the rest of the window is clear, they'll just try to fly through the gap next to the sticker.

If you want a window treatment to work, you have to break up the whole reflection. Birds are used to flying through tight gaps in tree branches. If they see a space wide enough for their wings, they'll try to use it.

Try to keep the gaps in your window pattern small. About the width of a credit card is best. This tells the bird there's no path through the glass. You need a dense pattern to actually make a difference.

UV Stickers and Clear Views

UV stickers are popular because they look clear to us but appear bright to birds. It seems like a good way to keep your view clear while keeping birds safe.

There's one important thing to know. These only work if you put them on the outside of the glass. If they're on the inside, the window filters out the light that makes the stickers visible. The birds won't see them.

Also, these stickers don't last very long. The sun affects the coating in a few months. If you don't replace them every season, they're just grey spots that birds ignore.

Birds that Hit Windows More Often

Not every bird hits the glass the same way. In my experience, ground-feeding birds like doves or thrushes are the ones you'll see hit the most. They are built for short, fast bursts of flight to get away from cats or hawks.

If they're facing your house when they start to fly, the reflection looks like a safe exit.

Small warblers hit windows frequently too. During migration, they're tired and looking for a place to rest. If your window reflects a nice tree, they head straight for it thinking it's a real branch.

How Corner Windows Trick Birds

Modern houses with corner windows have a specific problem. If a bird can look through one window and see out another one on the other side, they think they can fly straight through your house.

To a bird, your living room looks like open air.

If you have windows like this, you have to treat both sides. Sometimes just closing the blinds on one side is enough to show the bird the space is solid. But the best fix is always putting something on the outside glass of both windows.

Leaving Your Windows a Little Dirty

Here is a tip that might sound unusual: don't clean your windows so much.

A perfectly clean window acts like a mirror. It reflects the sky and the trees perfectly. A bird sees that and thinks the yard just keeps going.

A window with some dust or pollen on it is actually much safer. The texture breaks up the reflection. It tells the bird's brain that there's a surface in the way. While we like the look of clear glass, the birds are more likely to hit it.

If you don't like the look of dirty windows, try using some soap or tempera paint. You can draw simple dots or lines on the outside. It’s a cheap fix, it washes off easily, and it works great during the busy migration months.

Choosing a Fix that Works for You

You have a few good options depending on what you prefer.

1. Soap or Paint

This works well and costs almost nothing. You’ll have to do it again after a big storm, but it only takes a few minutes to draw patterns on the glass.

2. Hanging Strings

You can hang small strings in front of the glass. They move in the wind and give the birds a clear sign that the window is there.

3. Screens and Netting

A fine mesh screen in front of the glass is a solid fix. If a bird hits it, the screen keeps them from hitting the hard glass, and they fly away safely.

4. Clear Film

You can buy film with patterns of dots or lines. From the inside, it looks like a light screen. From the outside, it tells the bird the glass is a wall. It costs more than soap, but it lasts for years.

Keeping the Safety Steps Going

Whatever fix you choose, you'll need to check on it once in a while. The risk is highest during spring and fall when birds are moving through the area. Young birds in the fall are more likely to hit glass because they haven't learned to avoid it yet.

Check your windows in the spring. Look at them from the outside at different times of the day. If the reflection of the trees is stronger than your stickers or paint, the birds might not see the warning.

Lights at night matter too. Bright indoor lights can confuse birds that fly after dark. If you have big windows, closing your blinds or turning off the lights in rooms you aren't using helps them stay on track.

A Safe Yard for Local Birds

Making your yard safer for birds is pretty simple. It mostly starts with where you put your feeder. Moving it closer to the glass is one of the best things you can do right now.

If you add a simple pattern to the glass, you've solved most of the problem. You don't need a complex plan. You just need to break up the reflection and keep the birds from flying too fast toward the window.

Start with the windows that reflect the most trees. Those are usually the ones that cause the most trouble. A little bit of work goes a long way in keeping the birds in your yard healthy.