Can Birds See Glass?

Birds occasionally bump into my windows; how can I protect them from such collisions?

By Lucy McKernan
Updated on July 2, 2024
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by Acopian Birdsavers
Retrofit your windows to deter bird collisions.

Can birds see glass? Birds see reflections of habitat and sky or corridors to fly through. Learn about installing bird deterrents for windows to keep feathered friends safe.

I’ve been there: It began with a horrible thud on our large sunroom window. The death of a male robin during breeding season 2009 was my wake-up call. I became determined to learn how to protect birds from window collisions. So, I turned to bird conservationists and makers of bird-safe products to figure out what could be done.

Can Birds See Glass?

Nearly one billion birds die annually in the United States because of window collisions, according to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Birds fly into windows because they simply don’t see the glass. They see reflections of habitat and sky, or corridors to fly through. Homeowners may not see dead birds near windows because the birds often fly away and die or are scavenged. After window strikes, our feathered friends can suffer concussions, eye injuries, and broken beaks and bills that render them unable to eat.

Daniel Klem Jr., professor of ornithology and conservation biology at Muhlenberg College in Allentown, Pennsylvania, has dedicated his career to protecting birds from windows. His book Solid Air: Invisible Killer offers plenty of solutions. “Our residential windows are knocking off the strongest and most common bird species in astronomical numbers,” Klem says. “Unlike other mortality factors, like weather and predators, where studies show rebounding populations, windows take the strongest as well as the weak.”

Researchers say the highest number of window collisions occur on the lowest three stories of buildings, mainly residences where vegetation is reflected most. So, native plantings, which can boost bird populations, can also put those increased populations at risk when they’re planted close to homes. Jim Cubie, a retired U.S. senator and policy and outreach consultant with the Ornithology Center at Muhlenberg College, is equal parts native plant advocate and avian conservationist. He says, “Practicing sustainable stewardship means protecting birds simultaneously to planting natives, or we’ve actually conserved little.”

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