the #BigYearAtHome Team
Our September #BigYearAtHome challenge involves making our homes and places of business more bird friendly by helping birds to avoid colliding with our windows (#BirdSafeWindows). With fall upon us, birds are starting to flock and migrate, and now is the time to ensure our windows are safe for the birds that are passing through.

One simple action we can all take to help birds is to make windows safer, day and night. Joelle Gehring, who is leading US Fish and Wildlife Service efforts to reduce bird collisions with buildings elaborates:
“Every year, nearly one billion birds collide with glass in the United States. Most collisions occur at buildings four stories or shorter. Birds do not see glass as a barrier and attempt to fly through it, especially if they see vegetation reflections or house plants through the glass. Fortunately, we have inexpensive and attractive options to make our homes and offices safer for birds. Whether it’s creating visual barriers with parachute cord or tempera paint, using etched or frosted glass, or any of a number of other approaches, reducing bird collisions with glass is important and relatively easy!”
The bird conservation community has been working to identify simple ways to reduce the significant threat of bird collisions. One way we can all contribute to bird conservation is to “dress up our windows ” by using these creative ways to make our windows more bird-safe:
Dress the outside of windows with vertical and horizontal patterns — for example, hanging parachute cord pieces spaced less than 4 inches apart outside from the top of a window creates a visual barrier for birds
- Apply non-toxic tempura paint patterns or artwork to exterior glass to reduce bird collisions
- External screens and netting can reduce bird collisions by reducing window reflections, alerting birds that windows are barriers; this can also prevent injuries to birds if the bird can safely bounce off a screen or netting instead of hitting the hard glass
- Tape, decals, and external films can also be used to make our windows more safe for birds
We encourage you to participate in the September #BigYearAtHome challenge, #BirdSafeWindows, in the following ways:
- Make your windows safe for birds using one of the simple approaches listed above
- Find and appreciate other windows that have been made bird-safe in your neighborhood and town
- Share this challenge and your actions and observations on Facebook and Twitter or directly with the #BigYearAtHome team
Participate in the #BirdSafeWindows challenge and be entered into a raffle to win a package of “Window Alert” decals. To enter the raffle, share this post or your story about participating in the #BirdSafeWindows challenge on FaceBook or Twitter using the #BigYearAtHome and #BirdSafeWindows hashtags. Alternatively share your story with the #BigYearAtHome team through our eMail address (BigYearAtHome@KlamathBird.org) or contact form (CLICK HERE to access the contact form at the bottom of the #BigYearAtHome webpage). Raffle sponsored by Wild Birds Unlimited of Medford, Oregon.