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ICC
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# Posted: 3 Feb 2022 11:50 - Edited by: ICC
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Many home windows have a grid of smaller panes separated by muntins. Some windows have a grille inserted to give the appearance of small panes but are actually contiguous panes of large glass.
Other windows have no muntins, grilles, or grids. I noticed several years ago that birds were frequently flying into the windows of the new home, whereas they never flew into the windows in the old ranch house. The difference being the old windows had a bunch of smallish panes with a grid of muntins joining them. The new windows have large clear spans of glass. A 68 x 48 slider is two panels of approx 33x48 size.
Birds don't see the glass. They don't know what a window is. They see the reflection of the sky, or trees, etc. So to a bird a window may just look like everywhere outside. And they often fly into the glass. It happens a lot in the cities with glass walled tall buildings apparently.
I used to find birds dead on the ground outside after they impacted a window. Sometimes I saw them get snatched up by a hawk, sometimes while still twitching. Apparently, the bird often seems to be okay, only to die from injuries later.
A young nephew provided me with a solution. (picture below). Two strips of wood, some small screw eyes (I used stainless steel), and some paracord is needed. The birds can see the cords and can gauge the size of the opening while in flight. Four inches or less is suggested for the separation distance. The paracord top ends are knotted and the cord hangs in the upper screw eye. The lower end is just slipped through the screw eye, not tied. Leaving the lower end loose and longer than needed makes cleaning the windows with a squeegee easier.
About 15 months ago I did this to the windows that were being flown into. Since then not a single bird has flown into the glass. I've been meaning to post this but never got around to it.
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Steve_S
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# Posted: 3 Feb 2022 12:09
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A lady down the road (has many yard sales etc) did something very similar but she put some glass beads and crystal pieces from an old chandelier on the strings. It caught my eye so I asked about it and she said it was to deter birds from hitting the glass (she has a lot of big windows). Then she added, that the beads & crystals and add weight generate a bit of a light show inside, she took me to see and WOW quite amazing and very "soft" too. She also said that since doing it, she sees more hummingbirds than before at her feeders but thinks it "may" be because of the beads and stuff.
Now if only they could do similar for Tall Glass Buildings which kill millions of birds every year worldwide.
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gcrank1
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# Posted: 3 Feb 2022 13:11
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We have big glass too on the old house. Few years back we found some 'stick on' leaf shapes; they look like frosted etching but are thin plastic peel & stick (no real stickum) that you randomly apply.
They help, but dont eliminate the strikes. We tended to no see them after up for a while. Wonder if the birds are like that too?
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ICC
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# Posted: 3 Feb 2022 13:25 - Edited by: ICC
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I saw those stick on things but just did not like them. But I understand they can work and it's just my dislike of them that keeps me from using them. A friend found that drawing lines on the outside with a fluorescent yellow highlighter marker worked and was virtually invisible to the human eye, but needed refreshing every so often and after washing the glass.
I have not had a single hit since putting them up, so am happy. There were always 'ghost' bird imprints of dust on the glass wherever a bird hit. No more.
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Ontario lakeside
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# Posted: 4 Feb 2022 02:58
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We put black silhouettes of flying birds, completely eliminated window strikes.
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gcrank1
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# Posted: 4 Feb 2022 09:57
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I thought about putting an owl decoy on the deck rail near our big window.
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BRADISH
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# Posted: 4 Feb 2022 12:13
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Quoting: gcrank1 I thought about putting an owl decoy on the deck rail near our big window.
I like the idea of an Owl decoy as I have seen them be incredibly effective for keeping ducks off lake docks, however at our cabin we have a resident owl (i believe, never actually seen him) that like to sit on the railing of our front porch as a perch. I suppose it gives him a wonderful vantage point. While I am happy he keeps the mice at bay, he seems to enjoy 'painting' our deck in the meantime.  Terrible stuff it is. Stains everything, very gross. I wouldn't want to risk the decoy owl attracting the real thing!
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gcrank1
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# Posted: 4 Feb 2022 13:35
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May the owl decoy would claim the space and the real one would stay away? Ive never seen owls fighting but I dont know?
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paulz
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# Posted: 16 Sep 2024 21:53
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Wife got this hummingbird feeder for her birthday, which I have hung outside a cabin window. Filled it with sugar water. Nothing so far. Don’t think I’ve ever seen a hummingbird here, or anywhere else for that matter. Am we talking just cabin ornament here?
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drb777
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# Posted: 17 Sep 2024 02:37 - Edited by: drb777
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I've been feeding a flock of Hummingbirds at the cabin for about 10 years. So many during the period of April 15th to Sept 30 that they can consume as much as 4 gal/week of nectar from 8 feeders. And yes I've had a few of them and Cardinals fly into the window panes.
But since I removed the tinted panels from behind the glass (and added a porch roof), I haven't had that happen since. I think the somewhat mirrored appearance confuses the birds. And I'm careful to always close the shutters and blinds when I'm away.
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paulz
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# Posted: 17 Sep 2024 13:08 - Edited by: paulz
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Thanks Drb. Still nothing here. The lady that gave it to us said just put sugar water in it. It has 4 little holes in the landings but the water is just below those holes. Should I try something else?
In any case, I just don’t see any small birds around here. There are some large birds (turkey vultures?) that commute high in the trees every once in awhile a few hundred feet from the cabin, sure don’t want them any closer!
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ICC
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# Posted: 17 Sep 2024 13:26
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If there are hummingbirds in the area they may take some time to find this new food source.
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gcrank1
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# Posted: 17 Sep 2024 13:44
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Ive heard H-birds are attracted to red but idk. We make a sugar water solution rather than buy it and put in red colored feeders. I think maybe some red food coloring (safe for birds?) would work in clear feeders.
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ICC
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# Posted: 17 Sep 2024 13:51
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yes red attracts
https://www.brandywine.org/conservancy/blog/attracting-hummingbirds#:~:text=It's%20a% 20well%2Dknown%20fact,mix%20to%20fill%20those%20feeders.
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gcrank1
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# Posted: 25 Sep 2024 12:44
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Ive seen crows chasing owls away.....who knows what you'll attract with that
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paulz
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# Posted: 25 Sep 2024 14:15
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Still no luck here. But I left the feeder hanging on a ladder while gone to the grid for a couple days. Got back and the top of the ladder is covered in bird poop. Big bird poop! And I did hear one of those big birds crowing nearby last night.
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gcrank1
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# Posted: 25 Sep 2024 14:51
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Oh yeah, other birds, and ants & bees, like that juice
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paulz
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# Posted: 25 Sep 2024 20:59
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Finally. Been coming off and on all day.
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gcrank1
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# Posted: 25 Sep 2024 23:02
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Wha Hoo!
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drb777
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# Posted: 26 Sep 2024 17:58
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I've added these to my hummer feeding arsenal. These "ant moats" can be purchased, but I make mine easily with #10 copper wire, a 1/2" copper pipe cap & a bit of solder. (I've also given them as gifts.) Before their use, ants were very pesky at the feeders. You simply add a tiny bit of cooking oil, & unless they fill up w/rainwater, they'll last a full 5 month season w/o attention. (I still haven't found a good way to detract wasps.)
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paulz
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# Posted: 27 Sep 2024 00:03 - Edited by: paulz
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So that’s what that thing is! 
More hum visits today. Kinda nice. Would never have known they were around here.
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gcrank1
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# Posted: 27 Sep 2024 02:58
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They are addictive, Paul. If you can watch the public tv special on hummers do watch it.
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ICC
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# Posted: 27 Sep 2024 03:19 - Edited by: ICC
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The company that makes the wireless security cameras that Nobadays and I have, Soliom, makes some bird feeders (some special for hummingbirds) with built in cameras. They are quite cool.
URL
They have a facebook group where people upload videos. A nephew showed me a couple of videos. Very clear amazing clips. It would be easy to go down that rabbit hole.
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paulz
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# Posted: 29 Sep 2024 16:03
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I still have Hummers showing up a couple times a day. Well at least one. There are four perches on the feeder, does more than one ever show up at the same time? Maybe I just have one bird.
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ICC
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# Posted: 29 Sep 2024 17:23
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Hummingbirds are territorial. So solo birds are common. They also chase others away.
https://www.farmersalmanac.com/when-to-take-down-hummingbird-feeder
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paulz
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# Posted: 29 Sep 2024 18:37
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Thanks, lot to learn for a newbie there. Guess we’re about at the end of the season.
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