AVOIDING WINDOW COLLISIONS
Annually, just in the United States, a billion birds die from window collisions, about half of which occur at homes. Birds simply do not see glass, either due to interior lights at night, or daytime reflection, or proximity to flight paths. Fortunately, remedies are usually easy and low-cost.
1) Create barriers to break your window's reflection: outdoor screens, shutters, decals, strings, etc., make the windows visible to birds.
2) Move feeders at least 30 feet away from windows, or conversely, you may place feeders next to windows. This disrupts flight patterns that typically lead to window strikes.
3) Especially at night, close your blinds or drapes.
4) Avoid placing indoor plants near your window.
The Florida Green Building Coalition has recently modified its standards to include certification points for bird-friendly design features in all five project categories. The modifications were at the request of Audubon of Southwest Florida.
Our friends at the American Bird Conservancy have taken the lead in facilitating research and community action to remedy this very serious threat to birds. They have tested windows and window products that reduce the occurrence of window strikes, and they provide valuable information about how to make your homes truly bird-friendly.
We recommend you explore their web site for the latest information on window collisions.