It’s Spring again in the Maritimes; that means bird strikes are a concern once more as migrating birds travel back to our region. If you are looking for ways to protect the birds and your windows, check out these bird strike prevention tips.
Across Canada, window collisions kill 16-42 million birds a year. It is one of the most prevalent sources of human-caused bird deaths and yet, it is so easily preventable. Bird strikes occur because birds cannot conceptualize glass. They understand reflections on water but cannot understand reflections on glass and deem trees and sky to be real. Even tinted glass doesn’t break the illusion (unless it is extreme) as it can look like a tunnel or hole, enabling the bird to think it can fly through.
Tip #1 – avoid bright, artificial lighting on your home’s exterior
Birds often migrate after sunset and use the moon and stars as guidance. Artificial lights can disorientate the birds. These could be in the form of lights on your home's exterior but could also be inside if you don't use curtains or blinds. Artificial lighting draws birds into urban areas where there is a much greater risk of collision. Once there, these bright lights can affect the birds' night vision, causing them to collide more often during their journey.
Tip #2 – keep houseplants away from windows
If birds can see houseplants, seeds, bread, or other intriguing items close to the window, they can collide while trying to retrieve the food or investigate. They won’t be able to understand that there is a glass barrier between them and the object of interest.
Tip #3 – bird-friendly window patterns
Our bird deterrent window films follow the governmental guidance of a repeating, simple pattern. Bird deterrent window film is applied to the exterior of your existing glass and covers the whole pane with a uniform design. Usually, this involves dots, which will be easily ignored by the human eye but will break up the glass to a bird, enabling them to see it for what it is.
Related content:
How to use window film as a bird deterrent
Why don’t all birds collide with glass?
Birds that live in a populated area year-round quickly learn to avoid glass but those that have migrated, in particular, may not share this knowledge, making Spring and Autumn the prime time for bird strikes.
Unfortunately, this also means that young birds are at risk, and again, their prevalence is highest in Spring.
Make your windows bird-friendly with Maritime Window Film Specialists
Maritime Window Film is a family-owned business with more than 40 years’ experience. We serve New Brunswick and Nova Scotia and have a wide array of window film solutions to suit every home and business. If you’re looking for bird deterrent window film, we are happy to give you a free quote and talk you through your options. Contact us today to discuss your needs.
Think window film; think Maritime Window Film Specialists.
