MOVER BIRD FEEDERS AWAY FROM WINDOWS

Bird feeders are a frequent find in the yards of devoted bird lovers and casual bird watchers alike. Backyard wild bird feeders attract a variety of birds and can contribute to a healthy backyard habitat for wildlife. Unfortunately, many people place bird feeders close to windows to allow for convenient viewing, and this can endanger the very birds that the feeders are designed to attract and support. Hummingbird feeders, in particular, are often placed near windows because the tiny, acrobatic birds are fun to watch.

One of the leading causes of death in the wild bird population is flying into glass windows. Nearly 100 million birds are estimated to die annually after colliding with glass windows of homes and businesses. Illusions created by the windows are what cause problems. Windows can reflect a bird's natural surroundings making the presence of the window undetectable by a flying bird. A collision with window glass can stun a bird temporarily, making it vulnerable to predators, and can break its neck and kill it.

Windows are a particular danger when birds feeding on a bird feeder are threatened by a predator or otherwise startled. If a predatory bird, such as a hawk, were to swoop down upon a group of feeding birds on a bird feeder located near the windows of a home, the frenzied birds scattering and searching for safety are more likely to collide with windows that they don't have the perception or the time to avoid.

One quick and easy way to help reduce the chances of wild birds colliding with your windows is to place your birds feeders thoughtfully throughout your yard, taking into consideration not only your windows but those of nearby neighbors as well as the natural protection of trees and shrubs available to the birds you plan to feed from your birds feeders. It won't take long to create a safer feeding environment for the birds you invite to your yard. After all, the last thing a bird lover wants to do is cause harm to a feathered guest.

• Step 1: Assess the placement of bird feeders in your yard. Ask yourself if you have chosen spots in your yard that are best locations for you to view the birds, or if you have chosen spots that will help ensure the security and physical safety of the birds who visit your feeders. Take into consideration the locations of windows and the availability of natural cover for birds who may feel a need to flee the feeder, if threatened. Do not move bird feeders to the middle of an open field just to get them farther from your windows. An open field leaves the feeding birds without the protection of a hiding place.
• Step 2: Assess your windows. Walk outside around the perimeter of your house at different times of day and observe the illusions created by reflections or "tunnels" of light. Try to see the window as a bird might see it (or not see it). One solution to the problem of reflections is to illuminate dark rooms during problem times of the day. Curtains and window shades may also help reduce the reflections and show birds that an impermeable surface is present in their flight path. Screens placed outside of windows can help serve as a visual warning to flying birds and can prevent them from hitting the glass.
• Step 3: Move your feeders to locations in your yard that you feel allow the birds to have a safe and secure place to feed and continue to be conscious of the illusions created by the windows in your home. Mention your bird-friendly changes to friends or family members who may have their bird feeders placed precariously close to windows.

Additional suggestions to make the windows of your home safer for birds can be found at the National Audubon Society and the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds.