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It's a bigger problem than you might imagine.

Most of us have experienced the sadness of seeing a bird die from colliding with a window. Those who enjoy a rural home often find themselves in the unfortunate position of attracting birds to their deaths. A Large picture window is delightful for communing with mother nature but deadly to birds.

Daniel Klem, an ornithologist and professor at Mulhenberg college in Allentown, Pa, has spoken extensively on behalf of birds and birders to promote awareness of just how many birds are killed each year in collisions with windows.

Between 100 million and 1 billion birds die in glass collisions every year in North America alone, according to Klem in an interview with Audubon Magazine (March 2004). "Nobody sets out to intentionally kill birds," he says. "They just like a nice view."

Some buildings are, as Klem called it "bird slaughterhouses." The majority of these collisions happen with large office buildings with shiny or mirrored windows.

WHY DO BIRDS DO THIS?

First of all, it helps to understand things from the birds point of view. A bird's vision is much better, in many ways, than a human's. Much of their brain is dedicated to sight. In fact, birds are able to see ultraviolet light (UV), something for which humans would need a black light. But their *interpretation* of a view is the problem.

Birds who see the sky beautifully reflected in a big picture window will often fly right into it. If a bird can see completely through your house (front and rear windows) it may think it is a sort of tunnel it can fly through.

Birds fleeing from predators may try to take cover in plants that you may have immediately inside your window, not seeing the glass.

Some birds, especially Northern Cardinals and American Robins, are very birds, and will try to attack what they "see" (their own reflection) as an interloper repeatedly, often causing their own death.

WHAT CAN I DO TO STOP IT?

If a bird flies into a window, it may only be stunned. Cover it with a colander or other object with holes so the bird can breathe, to protect it from predators. Birds are very delicate creatures, however, and it is more than likely it will have managed to kill itself.

According to the Audubon article, the very best solution (although not practical for most readers) is to use what is called "fritted" glass, which has rows of small circles etched into it. The dots don't obscure vision that much as long as you are not standing directly in front of the window. I have

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