Here’s looking at you, kid … Birds hitting windows and other curious tweets

I know the holiday season is in our rearview mirror, but some particular lyrics of the old holiday song, “Suzy Snowflake,” come to mind as I start seeing photos on social media of birds hitting windows.
It is not Suzy Snowflake “tap, tap tapping on the windowpane, to let you know she is in town.” Nope, it is territorial birds seeing their reflections, ready for a fight … maybe I should start humming the theme of “Rocky” instead.
Our migratory songbirds are winging their way back to Will County in droves, and their number one goal is to find a mate and make more of themselves, plants or animals, increasing their own species. That is the ultimate goal of nature. Go forth and multiply, whether it is ragweed, or robins.
So that sparrow, mourning dove and especially, our Illinois State Bird, the Northern Cardinal, are looking for love about now. And the males of the species are ready to challenge anyone who gets in their way. Especially that particularly handsome and debonair reflection of themselves in your windows. For most birds, this is a mid-spring, seasonal affair. But that male cardinal can be territorial year-round.
It might seem cute, but many birds end up in the coffin instead of the love nest when they repeatedly attack the window, or just tucker themselves out long enough for a nearby predator to take advantage of their down time. But that is only part of the problem.
Birds also hit windows because they can’t see them (you excellent housekeeper, you). Instead, they see the reflection of the vegetation in your yard and think they are just flying into another garden area, instead of to their death.
Estimates say that up to a billion birds die each year from bird strikes. If you think that is a huge number, it is, but it is not just our homes, but all buildings, including the skyscrapers in big cities. Windows and birds are a bad mix, both day and night.
Much of bird migration takes place at night. I often sit out in the still, quiet evening and listen for their tweets. It is amazing what you can hear. Night migration has the benefits of fewer predators and less human interaction, and less dehydration from the sun; but lights left on in big buildings account for the majority of the night collision deaths.
So much so that there are numerous associations in larger cities whose sole purpose is to rescue the dazed and injured and record the fatalities of bird collisions. Scientists are still researching this phenomenon as it is not totally understood. What is known is that birds can veer off course toward the lit windows and collide, either with other birds or the structure itself.
Whether with big buildings or our homes, over half of those bird deaths are daytime collisions. The birds don’t see the windows, just the reflection of where they just flew from — your garden or yard.
To avoid bird strikes, the goal is to interrupt the birds’ line of sight by applying something to the glass. There are numerous decals sold specifically for this purpose, or you could just leave up any not-taken-down-yet holiday clings. Just tell your family and neighbors, you aren’t lazy, you’re just protecting wildlife.
For me, I go with the reduce, reuse strategy, and take a paper plate and draw two large ovals toward the top and color them in, emulating (or at least I think so) owl eyes. Hang them in windows and not only do the birds avoid them, but you’ve also given the neighbors something to talk about.
But before you toss that aggressive, now seemingly dead, bird that hit your window in the trash, only to see it resurrect for the garbageman; realize that some birds aren’t killed, or even injured, just stunned.
It is recommended to place birds that strike windows in a closed (but yes, you need air) box, and away from where predators can reach them, and leave them overnight. You don’t need to offer feed or water, just a quiet, safe place. If they come out of their stunned state, you can release them; if not, you already have them in a little coffin, ready for burial or disposal. I don’t judge.
Another issue with our arriving migrating birds, is where they set up their birthing center and daycare, aka, their nest. Many nature lovers feel they have hit Mother Nature’s jackpot if a bird chooses to nest on their windowsill or in the wreath on the front door (really who needs to come and go for 6 weeks anyway?)
But sometimes they choose inopportune places, like the light fixture over your door, where they grace you with “liquid confetti” when you come out the door. There are great bird deterrent plastic and metal spikes you can install to prevent birds from landing there. An ounce of prevention is worth a shirt-full of bird poop. The spikes do not hurt the birds, just make the space undesirable, and they go elsewhere.
One final word about deterring birds, particularly in the garden. Birds are no bird brains. They are actually very smart. I keep meaning to write a column about my favorite bird, crows. I am sure everyone has seen a cartoon or a real-life image of birds sitting on the scarecrow in the garden. Don’t bother buying those inflatable owls or snakes.
Birds do not think they are real. They don’t move … ever. Instead, give your garden a party look with some Mylar pinwheels from the dollar store. The erratic movement and noise work much better to keep the birds at bay.