Got a wild bird that won’t stop pecking at your window? Or do birds tend to crash into certain windows of your home? Either way, these tips will help stop the behavior without harming the birds.
For bird-inspired garden art, also see Creative Birdhouse Ideas.
Bird Window & Mirror Problems
Help! Birds Keep Flying Into Window!
This Bird Won’t Stop Tapping or Pecking!
Tap-tap-tap tap-tap-tap
It’s that time of year—wild bird migration and breeding season—when you may hear a bird pecking away at your window. Or, worse—birds crashing into windows in their flight path.
When they peck, they aren’t trying to tell you that your feeder is out of sunflower seeds—although some birdwatchers say birds do this as well.
The most likely reason for this behavior is the aggressive, territorial nature of some birds—especially during nesting season—and the reflections in your windows.
Birds in flight see the reflection of trees and sky in windows—not a hard, glass barrier, and fly right into them. This kills hundreds of millions of birds every year in the United States alone.
When resting, a bird sees its own reflection in the glass, perceiving a rival bird. And that means it’s time to defend their territory.
The threatened bird may peck, scratch, and use intimidating postures to get this rival bird to go away. But the poor guy has met his match!
Perhaps some figure it out or give up after a few hard pecks, but for others, the aggression can escalate and they are not backing down.
I’ve had numerous emails from readers over the years sharing stories of birds who fixate on a particular house window or car mirror and persist for days or weeks. It’s not fun for the bird or us!
Robins are well known for this, and some cardinals. But it’s not just them. Bluebirds, sparrows, goldfinches and many others have been known to attack their reflections.
And, while it’s not as harmful as flying into a window, the incessant tapping is distressing for everyone involved.
Window crashes are more serious but fortunately there are ways to prevent them.
I’ve combined the solutions because some of the ideas help both issues.
7 Tips for Stopping Birds from Pecking or Flying Into Windows and Mirrors
If you’re looking for a magic solution, there isn’t one: you may need a combination of the suggestions listed below.
The ultimate goal is to remove any reflection from the window—so it appears unapproachable to the birds.
If nothing else, make kind choices and be patient. The problem is human-made and the birds are just doing what comes naturally to them.
These tips can help prevent window (or outdoor mirror) pecking and window collisions.
1Block the Reflection
Temporarily covering up the window can work.
- Cover up the exterior of the window so there is no reflection.
- If you can’t access the exterior, cover the window from inside, although this may be effective if there is still a reflection.
- Use cardboard or anything else you have that can be taped on the exterior.
- There are also perforated window films that appear opaque from the exterior.
- Window screen could also help.
While preventing bird crashes requires long-term solutions, sometimes ugly options like taping cardboard over the window will stop seasonal pecking or tapping on windows.
Do individual bird window decals work?
Not particularly. Decals are no different than anything else covering the window: you need to cover most of the window to get rid of the reflection.
If you cannot easily access the exterior of your window, consider hiring a window washing company to install the bird protections for you.
2Keep Your Curtains Closed
- If you haven’t already, keep the curtains closed to change the reflection.
- If your window is normally uncovered, add a curtain or blind—anything to change how it looks to the bird.
3Change the Appearance of the Window
These tips can also prevent birds from flying into windows:
Draw a Grid of Dot on Exterior Glass
According to flap.org, you can prevent bird crashes by drawing a grid of dots or lines on the exterior of the window.
- The gaps should be no more than 2-inches (5cm) square and each marking should be at least 1/4-inch (6mm) thick.
- Use a white paint marking pen like this one on Amazon for high contrast markings. This type of marker is removeable with mineral spirits.
You can also purchase “wallpaper for windows” and “feather friendly DIY tape” that follow these standards.
Posca PX152637000 Art Paint Marker, White
Hang Dangling Items At Window
- Suspend decorative items inside at the window. It could be cords, stained glass art, strings of beads, or hanging plants.
- Whatever you choose should be spaced not more than a few inches apart.
Here’s a few examples:
- Iris Stained Glass | Amazon
- Feather Stained Glass | Amazon
- Crystal Window Danglers | Amazon
- Macrame Plant Hangers | Amazon
I’ve also wondered if a photo cutout of a cat face would help. I know it sounds silly but it would be interesting to try in addition to the other suggestions.
- Cat Face Garland | Amazon
4Remove or Cover the Perch
For pecking, block or cover whatever the bird is using to sit by the window so it is no longer comfortable or easy to sit there.
Again, be kind. Never do anything to harm the animal. Just make it inaccessible or inconvenient.
5Add or Remove Bird Feeders
Again, for incessant window pecking, changing the environment nearby may also help:
- If you have bird feeders nearby, remove them.
- Add some if you don’t.
- Either way, by causing a change in the behavior of other birds may be enough to get the pecking bird to move on.
6Add an Awning
This could be temporary or permanent.
- Window awnings block some light and that can be enough to change the reflection both to stop self-admiration and flight collisions.
7Move the Car
Pecking car mirrors is also a problem.
- If it’s a car side mirror and the vehicle is parked at your home, cover the mirror while the car is parked. A cloth bag with an elastic band will do the trick.
- Also, parking the car in a different location can help. I’ve had cardinals that sit (and poop) on our car mirror and just by turning the car around, I was able to stop them. I’m guessing it’s because the reflection was not visible in the shade.
In rare cases, the behavior can go on a long time, but in most cases, it’s a brief but intense situation.
Keep calm, respect the bird’s welfare and see what you can do to change the circumstances which in turn should stop the pecking.
If collisions are the issue, go for long-term solutions to help our dear birds.
Listen
~Melissa the Empress of Dirt ♛