Have you ever had a bird pecking at the windows of your home over and over again? Most of the time when a bird flies into your window repeatedly it's because he see's his own reflection and thinks there is another bird. But how do you get it to stop?
Learn different methods of preventing and stopping birds pecking at your windows. Try these ideas to keep your feathered friends safe and happy
Why do birds peck at windows?
The other morning I was woken up by a rude surprise. A robin was continually flying into my daughter’s bedroom window and smashing himself into the glass.
I managed to shoo him away but he kept doing it and then he moved over to another window on the other side of the house.
After some research I discovered that this is apparently common behavior for some male robins during- especially during the spring mating season.
But would he damage the glass? And how could I stop this little bird pecking at windows and potentially hurting himself?
What does it mean when a bird is pecking at your window?
There are many reasons birds may fly into windows repeatedly. Birds may not realize that there is glass in your window opening. If the window is really clean they may fly towards it not expecting to have their route blocked. This happens occasionally at my home. We will hear a loud thud at the window and find a cute bird laying on the ground looking a little dazed before he flies off again.
However, if the bird is flying into your window because of the reflection then it will aggressively attack the image repeatedly as it attempts to see off the "intruder".
A bird will fly into the window over and over again because he sees his reflection in the glass and thinks it’s another male in his territory and is trying to attack it. Of course they don’t realize that they are attacking their own reflection and some aggressive males may be relentless, attacking until they accidentally kill themselves by smashing into the glass.
Quick and Easy Ideas to help stop birds from flying into windows
- Leave the window dirty or cover it
- Use decals to break up the bird’s reflection
- Use wind chimes or a sprinkler to distract the birds
- Use a shiny object like old cd’s to distract the bird
- Use a florescent marker pen grid
- Use a stick on window deflector
What is the spiritual meaning of a bird tapping on a window?
A common superstition says that birds flying into homes through windows or flying into closed windows signifies that death is approaching. The most common form of this superstition is that birds, especially black birds, are an omen that a loved one is going to die soon.
There are also superstitions that say a bird flying into the window can mean a change in your life is coming, that you are worried about money or that someone in Heaven is sending you a message.
But is a bird flying into or tapping on a window really an omen? Maybe…but only if you believe it.
How do you stop birds from pecking at your window?
In order to stop a bird from trying to attack his reflection in the window you need to remove or block the reflection in the glass. Reflections happen when the window pane is clean and the daylight conditions are just right for a mirror-like image to occur. You could cover the window with newspaper or let it get dirty but there are easier ways.
Try white perforated window film to prevent birds from striking your windows.
This film is a great way to stop birds pecking at windows. It helps prevent birds from flying into windows while enhancing privacy and blocking UV rays.
If you don't want to wrap the whole window you can try adding decals or reflectors onto the surface of the glass.
Placing a silhouette or a hawk or owl can be enough to keep the smaller birds away.
How do you keep birds from pecking at your windows over and over again? Let me know in the comments!