A “Paneful” Situation

Birds and window panes don’t get along very well! Studies suggest that 100 million to 1 billion birds representing 225 different species collide with glass in the U.S. each year; about half result in fatalities.
Birds hit windows (or peck incessantly at the glass) because they see a reflection. In the case of endless pecking, the bird is seeing a reflection of another “bird” of the same species and sex in its territory and is attempting to chase it away; birds fly into glass when it reflects the habitat around them—trees, sky, bushes. The best defense you can offer is to break up that reflection. Sometimes, simply closing the drapes or blinds will solve the problem; you can also soap the outside of the window or apply vertical strips of tape spaced about 4" apart. Strips of reflective ribbon (mylar) or balloons can also act as a deterrent as they will both flutter in the slightest breeze. A more decorative method is to place silhouettes on the reflecting window. Wild About Birds sells static cling hawk silhouettes and packets of chickadee, hummingbird, and butterfly static cling window stickers.
Whatever solution you choose, its relatively easy to prevent window strikes and stop annoying glass pecking if you simply break up the reflection seen by the birds outside.
If your efforts are not sucessful and a birds flies into a window, Second Chance Wildlife recomends that you gently pick the bird up and place it in a brown paper grocery bag. Place a few holes in the bag for ventilation and fold the top down to keep the bird from escaping. Place the bag in a warm, dark, quiet area for about an hour: a heated bathroom or infrequently used bedroom will do fine. Keeping the bird warm helps prevent life threatening shock; keeping it dark mimics night time and allows the bird to take a nap; and quiet reduces stress permiting a more rapid recovery. After about an hour, take the bag outside and release the bird. If after an hour the bird has not improved or obvious injuries are noticed, please call Second Chance Wildlife (513-875-3343) for rehabilitation assistance.