What to Do When A Bird Hits a Window

Bird Flew Into a Window? Know How to Help!

The Spruce / Theresa Chiechi

Every birder has heard the resounding thud of a bird hitting a window, and even with the best preventative measures to help birds see and avoid the glass, impacts are inevitable. But when a bird strikes a window, what can be done to help it recover?

Why Birds Hit Windows

Birds are intelligent about natural predators and obstacles in their environment, but they do not recognize glass as a solid surface and have no conception that it can be dangerous. Most often, window collisions happen because birds see various reflections in the glass and mistake those reflections for something real. Reflecting branches, for example, can seem like a good place to land, a feeder reflection may seem like a tasty food source, or reflected clouds can look like a clear flight path. Even reflections of other birds can be confusing because it will seem as though the area beyond the glass is safe. When birds are panicked, such as being startled or chased by a hawk or cat, they are even more likely to crash into the glass, even if that glass has been treated or made more visible.

When Window Collisions Happen

While there are many ways to prevent bird window collisions, even the most vigilant birder will occasionally have a bird strike a window. When that happens:

1. Find the bird.
   If the collision was minor, the bird might fly off right away, or it may move somewhat away from the window. If it were stunned, however, it would likely be underneath the window or very close by and may not be alert or moving.
2. Observe the bird closely.
   Before handling the bird, watch closely to see how it reacts. Many stunned birds will sit quietly as they recover, perhaps with their wings slightly drooped, and if they are in a safe area, they do not need to be moved. If the bird is unconscious or thrashing about, however, it may need additional care.
3. Check for injuries.
   If the bird is unconscious, gently pick it up or carefully check for visible injuries, including signs of broken bones or cuts. Other indications may be missing feathers or a discharge from the bill. If the bird is severely hurt, contact a bird rescue organization to ensure the bird gets immediate, appropriate medical care. While handling the bird, it is always wise to wear gloves.
4. Keep the bird safe.
   If the bird appears just to be stunned, put it in a safe, sheltered place. If possible, leave the bird in the area where the collision occurred, but if the area is not safe from predators or other hazards, put the bird in a small box or paper bag. The box or bag should be large enough that the bird can spread its wings, and it may be lined with newspapers or a clean rag. Loosely close the box while still ensuring the bird has plenty of air circulation, and keep the box in a quiet, warm spot as the bird recovers.
5. Give the bird recovery time.
   Depending on the severity of the impact, it may take just a few minutes or up to 2-3 hours for a bird to recover, and during that time it should be stimulated as little as possible. Do not open the box or bag to check the birds’ condition, and do not poke or prod the bird to try and get a response. Instead, listen for it to begin moving around, which will be the best sign of its recovery. If the bird is showing no signs of recovery after 2-3 hours, it should be taken to a wildlife rehabilitator even if there are no other injuries visible.
6. Release the bird.
   Once the bird begins to move and show more activity, it should be returned to its environment. Take the box outdoors and gently open it in the same area where the collision occurred so the bird can easily get its bearings. The bird should fly out fairly quickly, but it may not fly far as it adjusts to the surroundings. If it is not safe to release the bird in the same area, take it to the closest similar habitat where it will find good food, fresh water, and safe shelter.

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Mark Tighe / Flickr / CC by 2.0

Not all birds will recover from window collisions. Internal bleeding or injuries may not be obvious but can be fatal, and if the bird dies, it should be disposed of properly.

What Not to Do

It is natural to want to help every window collision victim, but there are some steps birders should never take, even with the best intentions.

• Do not offer food or water to an injured bird.
  Birds have very specific diets, and an injured bird needs a quiet, calm environment to recover. The bird will happily forage ​on its own after it is released and does not need any feeding during the brief recovery period.
• Do not give the bird any medications.
  Many human medications are toxic to birds. If the bird has an obvious broken limb or severe bleeding, wrap it snuggly in gauze or rags to limit its movement, and get it to a rehabilitator for proper care and avian medication immediately.
• Do not release the bird indoors.
  It can be tempting to open a bag or box to check on the bird’s progress, but doing so may accidentally startle the bird into a premature escape. This will cause the bird even more panic and stress when it finds itself in unfamiliar surroundings, and it may injure itself further by colliding with furniture, walls, mirrors, or windows as it tries to get away.
• Never keep a wild bird as a pet, even if you intend to release it.
  Keeping a wild bird captive, even for a short time, is a violation of the Federal Migratory Bird Treaty Act and similar legislation, and can be punished with fines or jail time. It is never in the bird’s best interests to get it accustomed to humans in any way.
• Never handle raptors, even small ones.
  Birds of prey have powerful bills and talons, and mishandling these birds can create long-lasting problems for them to resume hunting in the wild. If a raptor collides with your windows, contact a wildlife rehabilitator or bird rescue organization for guidance.

Preventing Future Window Collisions

The best thing to do when a bird hits a window is to take steps to prevent any more collisions. If one window is a consistent problem, scrutinize it for reflections or other specific threats that may be causing birds’ confusion, and use multiple techniques to keep birds safe. While it is important for birders to know what to do when a bird collides with a window, it is always best if they never need to use that knowledge.

Why Do Birds Fly Into Windows, and Is There Anything You Can Do to Prevent It?

Here’s what you can do to stop them from hitting your home, according to an expert from the National Audubon Society.

Nothing is more startling than when a wild bird flies into the window. After all, it would seem odd that birds—having exceptional navigation systems and knowing where to go when they fly south every winter—would collide headfirst into a pane of glass. So, why is it so common for birds to fly into windows and how can we help prevent it? «Birds fly into windows because they don’t perceive them as hard barriers,» explains John Rowden, senior director of bird-friendly communities at the National Audubon Society. «They may see mirror-like reflections in the glass that look like space or habitat that is appropriate to fly towards or they don’t see the glass at all if it’s transparent and there’s something on the other side they want to fly toward.»

But flying into a window can be fatal if the bird is on a migration path or trying to escape a predator. Birds tend to fly at faster speeds in those situations and could become confused when they see what appears to be an empty space; the impact could cause significant injuries for the birds. Is there anything you can do?

How to Prevent It

The best way to protect wild birds from flying into your windows is to ensure that your windows are, in fact, visible. «If people want to make glass visible to birds, there are a number of ways to do it—often with things they may already have around the house,» says Rowden. «People can use decals, stickers, string, paint, tape—anything that birds can see and avoid—to create a pattern on the glass that will help the birds see it as a barrier and avoid it.» You can do this in several ways, including patterned window film, screens, or nets. When you aren’t using the window, you can keep the external shades or shutters closed so that birds don’t fly into your window, or else place decorative decals over the windows to deter birds from the area. The sound of wind chimes may also keep them away. And if you want to watch the birds and still keep them safe, move the bird feeder within three feet of the window. It lessens the chance that they’ll gain enough speed to hurt themselves on the window if they need to escape a surprise predator.

«Small birds see even small gaps as passages,» explains Rowden, «so the general rule is that the pattern created should have gaps that are no larger than four inches side to side and two inches top to bottom (some recommendations are even smaller—no bigger than two by two inches, since hummingbirds and other tiny birds can fly into small spaces).» Therefore, this is something that you will want to keep in mind as you prepare your windows. Visual barriers should also be placed outside of the window in order to eliminate the mirror effect.

How to Stop Birds from Flying into Your Windows

Ever found a beautiful bird dead outside your home? Chances are it smashed into your window and never recovered. For every dead bird you find, just imagine how many were snatched up by a cat or pulled into the brush by some other critter. Worldwide, window collisions kill close to a billion(!) birds every year. With spring migration currently underway in the northern hemisphere, now is as good as ever to make your home bird safe. The DIY experts at Stack Exchange tell you how.

Question:

Over the last three days, I have probably had over a dozen birds try to fly through my sunroom, only to be stopped by the 72″ x 52″ sliding windows. Three of the birds have died.

What can I do so that the birds realize there is something there, thereby preventing them from flying into the window?

The NYC Audubon Chimes In

After habitat loss, the greatest threat to wild birds may be glass windows.

NYC Audubon started Project Safe Flight in 1997 to address the issue in New York City. Daniel Klem, an ornithologist at Muhlenberg College, estimates that close to a billion birds are killed every year by flying into glass. A study he conducted, with NYC Audubon, found 1.3 birds killed per hectare per year in an urban setting, which works out to over 90,000 birds per year in New York alone.

All bird species are vulnerable, although migratory songbirds are the main victims. Most are killed instantly, but others succumb when they are stunned and fall prey to gulls, rats, or other predators.

We have rescued over 1,200 birds, persuaded buildings to retrofit their more dangerous windows, and published Bird-Safe Building Guidelines to help architects and designers develop solutions in new buildings.

Private homes as well as skyscrapers endanger birds. Most home owners have heard the unpleasant thump that means a bird has hit a window; many have also found bird carcasses near their windows. Birds do not see the glass as a solid barrier; they see reflections of trees or sky or a fly-through to open space beyond. This should come as no surprise, since even people occasionally walk into glass doors. For a person it is merely embarrassing, for a bird it is often fatal.

Homeowners can reduce the collisions and save bird lives in a number of ways:

— Bird feeders should be placed within three feet of a window, so that birds visiting the feeder cannot get up enough flight speed to hurt themselves.

— Installing a pattern on a window where birds are known to hit can be uncomplicated and inexpensive. Patterns with negative space no greater than 4 by 2 inches, the size of a hand, are most effective.

— Decals of hawks or other raptors are not particularly successful, unless the decals are spaced very closely— and then it doesn’t really matter if they are of birds of prey or an abstract design.

How to Stop Birds From Flying Into Windows

Learn how to stop birds from flying into your glass windows. Have you ever heard the sickening “thud” of a bird hitting your window glass? Do you hate seeing a gorgeous winged creature lying on the floor, lifeless beneath your window? Unfortunately, every year almost a billion birds suffer terrible deaths due to window collisions in the U.S. only. If you want to prevent birds from flying into your windows, the first step is to understand why birds collide with windows.

Why Do Birds Collide with Windows

Bird strikes occur due to many reasons. Birds are different from people. They do not see the world like we do. They fail to recognize windows as barriers. The reflections they see in a window’s glass often look like open spaces to them. This makes them fly full-speed into a window.

Because bird strikes are extremely common, you might think that birds have poor eyesight, but that is not true. In reality, birds’ eyes are on the sides of their heads, which gives them a wide-angled vision. This 360-degree view gives them the opportunity to spot any predators or rivals that may be approaching. However, this also means that it is difficult for them to focus directly in front of them.

Reflections of Vegetation can cause Bird Strikes

During day time, birds spot reflections of vegetation or see plants through the glass windows. Their attempt to reach those plants results in them colliding with windows. However, nighttime collisions are also common. Nocturnal migrants such as songbirds tend to crash into windows because they’re attracted to the lights they can see through them. They follow the unnatural light because they misinterpret it as the light from the moon or stars that they rely on for navigation.

If you have noticed, bird collisions tend to increase in the spring season. This is because spring is considered the breeding season in which male birds define and defend their territories. This enhanced bird movement leads to an increase in the probability of birds colliding into windows. Furthermore, your window may be the male bird’s defined territory. While you may find it annoying, the bird pecking on your window is actually trying to defend itself. The bird may identify its own reflection as an intruder or danger and may end up attacking the window.

Lastly, birds may also collide with windows when they’re fleeing to seek cover from predators. In an attempt to escape dangerous situations or predators, birds panic and get flustered and end up flying into windows.

How to Prevent Birds from Flying into Windows

Now that you know why birds hit your windows, it’s time to prevent it. Thankfully, doing so is easy. Here are a ways to help ensure bird safety.

1. Relocate Bird Feeders.

Move bird feeders and birdbaths to a different location. Bird houses should be placed either within 3 feet of a window or more than 30 feet away from a window. If placed close to a window, they won’t fly away from the bird feeder with enough force to get themselves injured.

2. Hang wind chimes, wind spinners, pinwheels.

These decorative items placed near or in front of windows can drastically help reduce birds flying into windows. The strange motion of these items cause birds to avoid flying near these windows. This one tip alone, has prevented bird strikes at our house for over two years. At the same time, we have not noticed a decline in bird activity.

3. Cover External Reflections.

Many birds crash into windows because of reflections. Blocking the reflections may help prevent birds from crashing into windows. Stickers of other predator birds such as falcons and hawks may also help keep birds away from the windows.

4. Attach Branches on Your Windows.

You can also attach branches in front of your windows. Arrange the branches in such a way that they don’t affect your view but are effective enough to keep the birds at bay. The branches will cause the birds to slow down while flying, thus preventing collision.

5. Cover Windows with Nettings.

You can opt for covering your windows with nettings. Installing netting will not obstruct your view, but will act as a physical barrier between a bird and window. Small-mesh netting is the best option as it enables the birds to jump off unharmed without getting themselves tangled in the nest.

6. Use Lights When Required.

This step should be followed not only to ensure bird safety but also to help save the environment. Switch your lights off when they’re not in use—especially during nighttime, as it will prevent the nocturnal birds from crashing into windows. Make sure you practice this during migration periods as well.

What to do When a Bird Hits a Window.

Despite these measures, if a bird ends up hitting your window, we suggest you go help the bird. If a bird hits your window and falls down, it’s not necessarily dead. When birds crash into windows they get stunned and let their guard down, which allows predators to attack them. However, checking up on the bird and putting it in a dark box in case it is stunned, will help it recover.

Bird flying into window has become a significant issue in the past few centuries due to the expansion of cities and towns with tall buildings and skyscrapers. Adopt the above measures, especially if you’re residing in a tall building, to prevent birds from flying into your windows. See the American Bird Conservancy – for estimates on bird glass collisions.

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