Why do Birds Hit Windows?
Transparency
During the day, birds see through the glass to plants or sky on the other side.
Reflectivity
During the day, birds see the reflection of vegetation or sky in windows.
Light Source
At night, bright lights attract birds into the city where they collide with glass.
Solution
If you can see through your windows to indoor plants or sky on the other side, so can a bird. Take a birds-eye tour of your property to assess for problem windows.
Solutions involve:
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Moving indoor plants away from window sills
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Hanging drapes or blinds to block the "pathway" to the other side
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Placing correctly spaced decals - no further apart than the palm of your hand
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Painting the outisde of the glass
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Installing frosted/etched glass
Solution
If you can see a reflection of vegetation or sky in your windows, so can birds. Take a birds-eye tour of your property to assess for problem windows.
Solutions involve:
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Relocating/trimming back reflected landscaping
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Placing correctly spaces decals - no further apart than the palm of your hand
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Painting the outside of the glass
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Installing frosted/etched glass
Solution
This solution is as simple as turning out or redirceting light at least during the months of migration:
Spring = March to June
Fall = September to December
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Turn out extraneous indoor and outdoor lighting
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Redirect upward facing lights downward
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Swap cool, blue-toned lights for warmer yellow/orange tones (below 3000K)
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Work with commerical and industrial building ownered and city to instate a lights-out ordinance
Let's work together and save birds' lives!
The majority of bird-window collisions occur on buildings between 1 and 11 stories in height. This includes mostly residential and commercial buildings. Less than 5% survive window hits!
There are a variety of products available to home and business owners to reduce birds strikes ranging from window decals to bird friendly glass, making solutions affordable to every buyer!
We are asking the city of Asheville residents, business and building owners, as well as the City, to join our mission and help us to save lives.
Links to window strike studies
Acopian Center for Ornithology
Daniel Klem, Jr., Ph.D., D. Sc.
Department of Biology, Muhlenberg College, PA
Abstract
https://pa.audubon.org/birds/windows
National Audubon Society, in collaboration with other groups including Blue Ridge Audubon Chapter, has developed an outreach program intended to address avian mortality at residential and low-rise buildings.