Our feeder is about 20 feet away from our backyard screen door (i.e. large
window surface). We also have the standard deterents (hawk stickers) on
most windows. We have the occasional mourning dove hit the window when the
whole flock flees in panic, but normally they see the window before they
hit it.

However, lately I have noticed house sparrows flying toward the window
seemingly making attempts to land on the glass surface. My theory is that
at certain times of day, the sun angle and the resulting reflection in the
window  fools the birds into thinking that the reflection of the feeder is
the feeder itself and they are attempting to land on it. Unless you have a
direct view through a room to the windows on the opposite side, a strong
reflection of the background in the glass will make it virtually
impossible for the birds to see the deterents and veer off before they
crash.

Frode Jacobsen
Baltimore, MD 21229



> Have any of you noticed an increase in window strikes recently?
>
> I have feeders around the house and the last two days have proven to
> be very difficult for one Goldfinch and one White Throated Sparrow.
>
> Yes, I've got visual deterents on all of my windows.  I went out and
> got some more today as well.  While at the WIld Bird Center in
> Annapolis, I heard that some folks have noticed similar issues of
> birds hitting their windows as recently as this week.
>
> Anyone else have similar observations? I just thought it'd be worth
> asking...
>
> Good birding,
>
> Dan Haas
> West Annapolis
> 
>
>
>