Netting agaisnt windows strikes (1 Viewer)

[Andy Adcock]

At this time of year, with so many young birds at our feeder, the incidence of windows strikes increases alarmingly.

After the most recent fatality yesterday, we decide to buy some netting to cover the offending window for a few months but we were concerned that apart from preventing window strikes, there could be a risk of birds getting stuck in the netting.

My query is, what gauge netting would be small enough to stop the birds going through and hitting the window, but not so small as to be an entanglement hazzard?


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[Jabberwocky]

We had this problem with the window on our garden shed. I hung some old net curtains inside the window and this has worked 100%. Perhaps you could try hanging something inside or get some of those stickers made for the purpose.

 

[KC Foggin]

Being surrounded by trees and their reflections on all my windows, I was having the same problem.

What I did was use actual screening which was okay for them to grab on too but blocked any impacts against the glass. It was stronger than netting so you might want to try that.

 

[Johann Sebastian Bach]

Have you tried silhouettes of raptors Andy?

I've never used them myself but I know some people are delighted by their effectiveness. You stick them to the window and birds are supposed to give them a wide berth.

http://songbirdphoto.com/wordpress/when-a-bird-hits-your-window/

Peter

 

[Torchepot]

This thread appeared a while ago and has some useful solutions to the (sadly) ever recurring problem.

http://www.birdforum.net/showthread.php?p=3404943#post3404943

 

[Jos Stratford]

I hung some old net curtains inside the window and this has worked 100%.

This works if birds were intent on flying through the windows because they didn't see the windows, but it does not work if the windows are actually working as mirrors to surrounding vegetation - in this case, the inside of the window is not visible and strikes will continue. I had this problem with my cabin near my feeding station - standing a few metres from the window, they perfectly reflected surrounding trees and several strikes occurred in the first few days of the windows going into place.

I resorted to hanging netting on outside which has proved very effective - the only strike in the last seven or eight years (to my knowledge) being when a Sparrowhawk suddenly spooked everything and one bird flew straight into the window (but not hard and survived).

Unfortunately the fear that Andy raised has occurred on one occasion - a Great Spotted Woodpecker got tangled and died Though I very much regret this, one dead in several years seems a better price than the several dead in a handful of days before the netting.

Other method to tackle this is maintain dirty windows More by habit than design, this works wonders on my house where nothing hits windows.

 

[Andy Adcock]

Thanks Jos,
we bought some netting from the garden store and so far so good, not a single impact in the last 24hrs, down for 4-5 per hour.

Great-Spots are at the feeders with young now and it's them that cause the panic which leads to windows strikes. After a complete absence of 3 years, Siskins are back in numbers as are a couple of Hawfinch which are always nice to see.


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