Birds hitting window - how to stop them?

[zoombini]

Hello, in the office here we have 6'x4' windows all along one end of the building, they are darkened from the outside by a coating added to reduce glare inside.

This makes them look reflective from the outside & in the summer months birds often fly into the window & either fall to the ground dazed or dead.
We are getting quite a few in the car park below, 2 have hit the window in the past few hours.

Funnily its usually the same window too.

What I'm after is suggestions on what we can do to prevent this happening top the poor little birdy wirdies.

We cannot remove the film coating, sticking something to the inside of the window will most likely have no effect as we think that its because the birds are seeing the reflections of the nearby fields & hills that they are flying into the windows.

Has anyone else had this problem & solved it?

[altis]

I've often seen windows with the profile of a bird of prey cut out of black sticky-backed plastic stuck on them. I guess this does the trick.

[Halcyon]

We put up some red tape on the window. Like red selotape. A couple of stripes and it marks it out to them.

[zoombini]

Someone has been outside & looked & from certain angle it does look to have a reflection of a big tree in it.

Yet no-one else can be bothered to actually do anything about it, so it looks like its upto me (again!).

Paint a picture of a cat on the window?

or

Open the window and let them fly in!!

Seriously, ive seen people hang CD's above the window or some bits or foil or tinsel.

[zoombini]

I have printed a Sparrow Hawk & places that outside.

Hopefully it will put them off, apart from other Sparrow Hawks who wanna fight!

[Ramrod]

RSPB advice and Window stickers (look on page 2 of 'stationary')

Birds and windows
Birds and windows do not mix successfully. The common problems are when birds collide with windows or start to attack them, or if they start to eat the putty.

Collisions with windows

The popularity of picture windows, patio doors and double glazing has led to many fatalities among birds which fly into them.

Although some birds collide in the heat of a chase, most do so because they see a reflection of the sky and trees in the glass, or because there is another window or mirror in the room making the bird think there is a way through. Double glazed windows tend to pose a greater risk than single glazed, since they produce clearer reflections.

This hazard can be reduced by making the window pane more obvious to the bird. Fixing to the outside of the glass an object which will indicate that an obstacle is present should help. Any image will work try cutting out random shapes such as half moons, stars etc from coloured self-adhesive plastic.

The most effective shape is likely to be that of a hawk. Self-adhesive bird silhouettes (both songbirds and birds of prey) can be purchased from any RSPB shop, many good petshops and garden centres, or by mail order from many large birdfood companies. Or to buy online from the RSPB gift catalogue click on the link on this page.
More expensive but highly effective are vertical blinds which can be angled so that you can observe your garden whilst reducing dramatically the appearance of the windows as a flight path.

Please understand that these measures will greatly reduce but never totally solve the problem.

[altis]

Even swans can be confused!

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/3409637.stm

[danielf]

Originally Posted by altis

Even swans can be confused!

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/3409637.stm

Imagine trying to explain that story to the insurance company

Originally Posted by danielf

Imagine trying to explain that story to the insurance company

true - usually they will refuse to pay without a cygneture

[Nugget]

Originally Posted by homealone

true - usually they will refuse to pay without a cygneture

And they get a right cob on if you haven't got a pen

[MetaWraith]

Originally Posted by homealone

true - usually they will refuse to pay without a cygneture

Originally Posted by Nugget

And they get a right cob on if you haven't got a pen

GROAN........
You two are definitely Cable Forum's double act of the year.

[Shaun]

Our very own Ant and Dec, I wonder which is which?

Gaz must be "housewives favourite" (Dec) as he's the shortest (I think)

[Nugget]

Originally Posted by dellwear

Our very own Ant and Dec, I wonder which is which?

Gaz must be "housewives favourite" (Dec) as he's the shortest (I think)

Yep, he's definitely the shortest (and he's got the same hair ... ish!)

[paulyoung666]

try the suggestion of hanging a couple of cd's out , and if you are lucky and the sun comes out then you might have the pleasure of pretty little rainbows all over the place , dont ask it's been a long long day