Ottawa boy's invisible invention warns birds about deadly windows

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Ottawa boy's invisible invention warns birds about deadly windows
Topic Started: Jan 11 2014, 05:17 AM (435 Views)
Dana	Jan 11 2014, 05:17 AM Post #1
WWS Hummingbird Guru & Wildlife photographer extrordinaire Posts: 13,054 Group: Member Member #830 Joined: March 23, 2011	I already have something that sounds similar but glad to see more people trying to solve this problem. http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/ottawa/ottawa-boy-s-invisible-invention-warns-birds-about-deadly-windows-1.785922 Quote: Eighth grader Charlie Sobcov wants to stop birds from dying in collisions with windows, but he doesn't want to ruin anybody's view. For his latest school science fair project he has invented painted, plastic decals that can be placed — discreetly — right in the middle of a window pane. "This paint is a colour that birds can see but humans can't," he said Wednesday on CBC Radio's All in a Day. "It's like putting a big stop sign in the middle of the window." Here's what's already available. I bought (online) some after finding a dead hummingbird who had smashed into a large picture window. http://www.windowalert.com/hummingbird.html



Darcie	Jan 11 2014, 05:22 AM Post #2
Skeptic Posts: 31,154 Group: Member Member #714 Joined: March 30, 2010	OMG, I just had a bird bash into one of my windows about 1/2 hour ago. I did put a large decal on the largest window but it sure is 'in your face' type of thing. I have beautiful trees to look at and many birds out there. This just might work.



wildie	Jan 11 2014, 07:08 AM Post #3
Veteran Member Posts: 12,173 Group: Member Member #442 Joined: October 11, 2006	I would buy these in a minute! On rare occasions Blue Birds visit my place. On two occasions I have found dead ones that have crashed into windows, and if this could be prevented I'd be ahappy fellow!



Durgan	Jan 11 2014, 08:38 AM Post #4
Veteran Member Posts: 13,273 Group: Gardening Guru Member #720 Joined: March 31, 2010	On high rises turning off the lights at night seems to be helpful, particularly during bird migration.



Darcie	Jan 11 2014, 09:57 AM Post #5
Skeptic Posts: 31,154 Group: Member Member #714 Joined: March 30, 2010	I have verticals and it seems to help if I don't pull them back just open the slats. Today I opened them as I wanted to see the snow melting off the firs.



Dana	Jan 11 2014, 11:55 AM Post #6
WWS Hummingbird Guru & Wildlife photographer extrordinaire Posts: 13,054 Group: Member Member #830 Joined: March 23, 2011	Decals etc have to go on the outside of a window in order to be seen by birds otherwise the reflection masks anything inside. Another suggestion is to put masking tape in a wide grid pattern across windows but that's rather ugly. I think the birds try to fly past decals and a large number of them are required. I still had birds bumping the glass though no more dead ones so I taped some string across and that seems to be working though there have been few sunny days for reflections to occur.



angora	Jan 11 2014, 12:08 PM Post #7
WWS Book Club Coordinator Posts: 14,494 Group: Member Member #717 Joined: March 31, 2010	I have never had a bird crash into my window here in our old farm house. The windows are not big picture window types and, to be honest, I don't keep them that clean. I don't think this was a problem in pioneer days.



campy	Jan 11 2014, 10:21 PM Post #8
Handyman Extraordinaire Posts: 28,720 Group: no politics Member #204 Joined: February 2, 2006	The reason they fly into windows is that they see the reflection of trees and try to fly into them. So the best decal would be a cat.



Trotsky	Jan 12 2014, 02:40 AM Post #9
Big City Boy Posts: 38,319 Group: Member Member #79 Joined: September 8, 2005	I closed on the apartment and moved in a month later. By then a pigeon must have CRASHED into the big permanent unopenable center window because you could see the outline of the bird, nearly 24 inches wingtip to wingtip made of whitish SMOOSH...heavy in the center but lighter wings clearly visible extending out at 45 degree angles. It had dried and it took me a hard time getting it all off cantilevering a squeegee from the adjacent window over about 4 tries with black and blue biceps each try. (I'm about 175 feet up, so there's no other way.) Cleaning that window is a TOTAL pain in the ass. Knock wood it hasn't happened in the last three years, maybe because the birds can see draperies?



Durgan	Jan 12 2014, 05:27 AM Post #10
Veteran Member Posts: 13,273 Group: Gardening Guru Member #720 Joined: March 31, 2010	I think the target of this discussion is really high rise buildings, probably above 20 stories.



Darcie	Jan 12 2014, 05:30 AM Post #11
Skeptic Posts: 31,154 Group: Member Member #714 Joined: March 30, 2010	I am on the third floor and it happened in my window yesterday.



campy	Jan 12 2014, 05:37 AM Post #12
Handyman Extraordinaire Posts: 28,720 Group: no politics Member #204 Joined: February 2, 2006	Durgan Jan 12 2014, 05:27 AM I think the target of this discussion is really high rise buildings, probably above 20 stories. Doesn't matter. A decal of a cat would prevent the birds from flying into a window.



Dana	Jan 12 2014, 05:41 AM Post #13
WWS Hummingbird Guru & Wildlife photographer extrordinaire Posts: 13,054 Group: Member Member #830 Joined: March 23, 2011	High rise building kill a huge amount of birds around the world. And how to apply decals or do anything when those windows don't open? My main problem window is on the first floor. I think the fact that my yards are bird friendly and host many birds plus the new glass of the large window being more reflective are why I have had so many crashes. There are 4 windows here that birds try to fly through, two upper story, two lower. I no longer clean my windows on the outside as I used to. I like clean glass but I like live birds more. One year I lost a hummingbird in spring, a cedar waxwing in the fall and had big floppy robins crashing into a kitchen window. This year I found some hummingbird feathers stuck to an upper window but no little body. biggrin 04



campy	Jan 12 2014, 01:41 PM Post #14
Handyman Extraordinaire Posts: 28,720 Group: no politics Member #204 Joined: February 2, 2006	Dana Jan 12 2014, 05:41 AM High rise building kill a huge amount of birds around the world. And how to apply decals or do anything when those windows don't open? My main problem window is on the first floor. I think the fact that my yards are bird friendly and host many birds plus the new glass of the large window being more reflective are why I have had so many crashes. There are 4 windows here that birds try to fly through, two upper story, two lower. I no longer clean my windows on the outside as I used to. I like clean glass but I like live birds more. One year I lost a hummingbird in spring, a cedar waxwing in the fall and had big floppy robins crashing into a kitchen window. This year I found some hummingbird feathers stuck to an upper window but no little body. biggrin 04 Put the cat decal on the inside it will still work .



wildie	Jan 13 2014, 04:16 AM Post #15
Veteran Member Posts: 12,173 Group: Member Member #442 Joined: October 11, 2006	My wife always dangled crystal reflectors in the windows and they seemed to be effective! I forget what she called these!



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