Prevent Birds From Running Into Windows With A Swipe Of A Marker

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While having crystal clear windows might make your cleanliness-loving heart shine, they can cause a problem for your feathered friends outside. You see, those sparkling surfaces offer up the perfect reflection to trick a bird into thinking that either there's a competitor on the other side or that the sky and the trees just continue on. This is especially true if you have two windows opposite each other, which gives the illusion that the bird has a clear flight path. Unfortunately, a bird hitting your window can be quite concerning, especially if you take the time to provide your flying visitors with seed and fresh water, so they keep coming back. Luckily, thanks to YouTuber Alex Sally, there's a really easy way you can stop the birds from running into your windows with just a few swipes of a special marker.

Although there are numerous tips and tricks to keep birds from flying into your windows, for the most budget-friendly solution, all you're going to need is one of these Posca White Acrylic Paint Markers. You actually get two in the pack, so you should have plenty to do all your windows and more. These markers are designed to work on glass, but they can also be used on canvas, plastic, terracotta, metal, and rocks. The only other thing you're going to need is a long ruler or any other type of straight-edge you can use as a guide to draw vertical lines.

You can use the white marker to draw lines on all your windows or just the ones that are more susceptible to having birds fly into them. What you want to do is grab your ruler and draw vertical lines down your window from top to bottom, spacing them around 2 to 4 inches apart and making sure you cover the entire window pane. This works because birds don't like to fly through vertical bars as they perceive them as a visual barrier that interrupts their flight path. The repeated line markings on the window look very much like the Acopian BirdSavers or Zen curtains that the Cornell Lab of Ornithology uses on its very large observatory windows, but if you're looking for a budget-friendly solution for just a few windows, the white marker is really all you need.

Instead of using markers, you could try using stickers, dots, or thin tape, like this CollidEscape White Bird Tape. You just want to make sure that the spaces between are vertical and no more than 4 inches wide. That's why having just one large decal of a bird of prey simply won't work, although you might find this useful if birds are attacking your windows. Your feathered friends tend to focus on the spaces between obstacles to determine whether they can fly through. Finally, if a bird does happen to fly into your window before you've had a chance to mark it, there are important steps to take, such as allowing the bird to recover in a safe container and knowing who to call for help if needed.