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poor dead sparrow (1 Viewer)

i had a bad day. i had to explain to my two year old, why the house sparrow died after it flew into the patio window. any ideas about how i could stop this from happening again.

Do silhouettes really work, before i go and buy some?
 
After experiencing similar problems a few years back we installed vertical blinds inside the patio windows and thin net curtains on the house windows. We haven't had a bird strike since. They're also a good burglar deterent as it's difficult to see in.

I guess trying the silhouettes is better than nothing. I sometimes wonder if the hawk type ones actually scare the birds from feeding in the garden?
 
I bought some silhouettes from the RSPB (the black ones) and then read later that if the garden is reflected in the window, you should have red ones - doh! However, last year, I had several bird strikes on my kitchen window, resulting in two fatalites (blackbird and collared dove) plus two which survived (blackbird and blue tit) This year, I have had none, so my black ones must have helped I think. I also bought some of the pretty butterfly transfers, which look nice anyway. Previous to this, I tried net curtain but hate them in the kitchen and I couldn't see the birds feeding, then a venetian blind, which made the room too dark, and its been pulled up to the top and waste of money ever since!
 
As I understand it any old silhouette will do - it doesn't have to be hawk-shaped. I didn't know the colours made a difference. Why do they?
 
Bluetail said:
I didn't know the colours made a difference. Why do they?
Because birds have a sharp sight, and they differ from mammals (like me) in that sense that they can separate red from green? I have heard examples of silhouettes both working and not working, so it may have something to do with colours.

I found a cat-killed Pyrrhula on my yard. When telling to my twoyear daughter that the bird is not alive anymore, she just smiled and said: "Funny bird". O tempora, o mores.
 
We put up hawk type silhouettes a few years ago (that's what it said on the packet, though they look more like falcons to me). They haven't completely eliminated bird strikes but they have reduced them a great deal - no fatalities so far this year. I don't suppose the shape actually makes a difference.

Some species seem to suffer more than others. The House Sparrows usually seem to bounce off without serious damage.
 
Hi little sparrow,

Sorry to hear about this unfortunate incident.

I am as unsure as others about the effectiveness of silhouettes, especially that they might work too well and frighten the birds away completely.

I think it is important to consider how many times birds don't fly into windows... they seem to have them sussed, which is pretty impressive when you think about! Why should they understand glass?

Do you have any feeders close to your windows? Maybe you could think about repositioning them?

However, whatever you do, it might be an chance to "engage" your two year old and make him feel a part of the solution.

Good Luck!

 
Rhion said:
The other solution is to keep the windows really dirty - problem solved!

Funny you should say that! My lounge window was in a state and I finally decided I ought to clean it - that was about two weeks ago, and since then, I have had at least three birds hit the window, which from outside is just like looking in a mirror - it shows grass, bushes, sky etc. Thankfully no fatalities, but I do have the black bird silhouettes so I think I will have to spray a lot of mud back on the window!
 
Many of the hits happen when the local Sparrowhawk turns up, as the smaller birds flee in panic and sometimes crash into a window. Though he did hit the window himself a couple of years ago and spent a quarter of an hour or so recovering on the lawn. He was back next day none the worse for wear.
 
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