The birds know that summer is over and it is time to go south. They don’t like to be too cold anymore than I do, and it’s hard to find food if there is snow on the ground. Even cold rain doesn’t make it a hospitable environment for providing seeds and/or insects for birds to eat.
The air is fairly vibrating with birdsong, as the birds gather in ever growing flock numbers to eat like crazy and do little practice flights in preparation for the big trip south.
Unfortunately, with so much activity many of the birds try to fly through my windows, thinking there is a flight path to the other side of the house. It breaks my heart and sometimes their necks or wings, when they hit. The guilt I feel is huge.
After hearing three thumps on my windows in a short space of time, I found a bar of soap and drew lines over the panes so the birds could see that there is a barrier in their flight path.
One little warbler type had hit a corner window just before I soaped it. He had a soft landing on a deck chair cushion. He stayed there for several hours. I worried and felt so bad for him as I watched his tiny traumatized wings quiver.
Then, apparently the time was right. He pooped and flew away. I hope he doesn’t have a bad headache. I’m so glad he survived.
Fein 😊❤👍❤
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Vielen Dank, Mathilda.
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Gerne 😊
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Birds respond well to healing energy – you don’t even have to hold them. Just send them love and healing from your heart 🙂
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I considered picking him up. Sometimes I think they like to be kept warm. But since he was sitting upright, and it wasn’t cold out, I thought it might be best to leave him and see what happens.
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It was obviously the right thing to do. I have sometimes put injured birds in a box covered with a towel, some water. It lets them rest and feel safe. And sometimes that is all they need.
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Yes, that’s probably a good thing to do too.
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So far birds have crashed into our cottage windows only once or twice in the last seven years (the time that we have lived here). I worry for them so much in their recovery that a cat might get them. On the other hand I don’t want to prolong their shock by hanging around.
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So many dangers for the poor little things.
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Your heart is big 🙂
Cheers !
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I do love birds, especially. And all animals.
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I’ve seen birds sit for over an hour after hitting into a window before recovering. It’s always a relief when the take flight once again. 🙂
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It sure is!
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Now that’s an idea, Anneli, those stripes made with soap! We have some stickers on our windows, and those seem to help, too. Only they easily come off. We need some stickier ones.
Have a wonderful day,
Pit
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I have a few of those light catchers that hang in the windows, but it’s not enough.
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I have seen and heard the same thing recently. My large windows on the greenbelt side of my home attract the little birds and I believe they see the reflection of the tall trees. Resting for awhile after the “thump” makes perfect sense. Keeping Ivy from the back yard is a chore.
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Yes, I think they see reflections too and don’t realize they can’t fly there.
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So glad the bird was OK then flew away. I had a large bird hit my window some years ago which left an imprint of the bird body and wings. Surprised the glass didn’t break, was not a small bird.
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That reminded me, one fall we had an owl hit the window. I didn’t get a picture of it but I saw it sitting on the front landing a bit stunned just before it took off. It was a big owl. I think it was making a swoop for the plaster cockatiel I have sitting on a swing in the window.
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We had a bird fly into our window over and over again so we covered it. The SPCA told us it was likely a male thinking his reflection was a female and he was trying to court her.
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awwwwwwww thats so sad but very sweet what u did.
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It really is sad whenever one hits. I hate to lose even one bird to something I feel I’ve contributed to.
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We had a pheasant showing off to himself in the sliding glass door one time. He went back and forth with one wing dropped, hoping to impress the bird on the other side of the glass (his reflection).
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I hope the soap works. I have some decals on my windows and they make a big difference, but there are still bird hits.
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Much better since I put the soap on the windows. Still the odd hit, but I think other than pulling the blinds all day, there’s not a lot more we can do.
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I use decals made by an company called “Windows Alert”. They are plastic that clings on the outside of the window by static and they reflect UV light which the birds can readily see.
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Oh, yes! I think you mentioned them once before. They sound like a good product.
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Soap lines. Love it!
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They will remind me to clean the windows once the migrations are over.
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When we had glass in our deck railing (which we’ve now changed back to spindles) we had the same problem with birds hitting the glass, and I used to put streaks on them, first with soap, but the rain washed that off, so then I used candle wax and that worked. It was messy though. Spindles are much better.
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Awwwww, those poor babies. Sounds like it happens often. You’ll have to let us know if the soap helps. I sure hope so.
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Yes, so far, so good!
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I’m glad the warbler survived. I hope the soap lines will do the trick.
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They are helping a lot. Hope they’ve saved many lives.
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Looks likeall window-owners have the same problem. The soap streaks are a good idea!
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For a temporary measure it’s okay. We all have our solutions that work for us. At least, I hope people try to minimize the bird kill.
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We had this happen so often back in New Mexico, our good wishes often helped the birds to recover! Thanks for your post.
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I really love birds so I hate to see them having these accidents.
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Soap was a great idea. That happens here too, but not quite as much due to the divided panes in our windows. It is heart-breaking. I always run outside to ensure they get away before the cat pounces!
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I remember that feeling when we had our two cats (a long time ago). Good that you care.
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Soap stripes are so smart. Poor little birdie – he looks so forlorn there as he ‘caught his breath’ so to speak. Bet he came back and took a bath in your birdbath the next day. 🙂
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Yes, who knows?!
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Du hast ein gutes Herz, liebe Anneli. Eine gute Idee, das mit den Streifen am Fenster. ❤
Liebe Grüße,
Martina ❤
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I love birds and I had to do something. I think it helped.
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This warbler looks a little like a goldfinch but bigger. . . Not sure and yet, so glad whatever (whoever?) he is, you kept his best interests at heart. ❤Thanks, Anneli for including soap stripes! My parents lived on Lake Erie, which meant all kinds of animals and birds (fish flung up the cliff and onto their roof on turbulent weather days!) 😊 They used colored tape, criss crosses in a row to somehow help prevent bird accidents! xo 🕊
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For outside windows, wax from a candle works better (doesn’t wash off in the rain) but it does get messy.
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That sounds better, longer lasting: use candle markings. I’m glad I have screens on my apartment windows.
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Screens help too.
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They sure stop the glare which does☀ seem to blind birds.
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