Birds Collide With Windows • 03.30.10
We love the view from the windows of our home because they provide us with views of the bush we have chosen to live in and enjoy. We have also put a birdbath amongst indigenous shrubs immediately outside our kitchen and living room as it immerses us in the bush experience. Hence birds regularly come to visit close to our home to drink and bathe so that we can observe and enjoy them.
In the first couple of years we had a few birds strike the windows whilst coming to the birdbath. The larger birds like parrots just bounced off but unfortunately one small Striated Pardalote – Pardalotus striatus didn’t make it and died in my hands. This was a fairly traumatic experience for us as we had placed the birdbath close to our home to enjoy birds and yet this directly lead to the death of such a beautiful bird.
Echidna leadlight ornament hanging in middle of window can reduce bird collision.
Since this event we have made a few changes and so far have not had any bird strikes. The first tip is easy we don’t clean our windows anymore, and are loving it – I mean who likes cleaning windows! They are not particularly dirty, but the reduction in shine definately helps. We have objects in the larger window areas to break up the large open glass view. Such as some hippy type – yin and yang stickers and also a hanging leadlight echidna decoration that we purchased whilst travelling.
If you are thinking of designing your home from scratch or renovating it is worthwhile considering some of the ideas that are discussed in the report: Minimising the Swift Parrot – Lathamus discolor collision threat. These design techniques could be applied to any home and if implemented in the design can reduce overall avian death through window strike which is a huge problem.
