Date: 7/10/26 6:12 pm From: Lee Simpson <0000013640a8a13a-dmarc-request...> Subject: Re: Help about window strikes
I can agree; we had Collidescape which we installed years ago on large picture windows and we finally removed it because I was tired of not being able to see birds as well as I wanted to. After hours of scraping, washing, peeling etc to remove the old Collidescape, we replaced it with Feather Friendly dots. The Collidescape removal was a pain, but there is no doubt that the product worked extremely well. With the Feather Friendly dots, which we installed at our place here in Pa but also on our cabin in Az, you can either omit a small area or easily remove a few dots to order to allow a photography "window"; I have numerous ones along the window at the correct height for me. I did hear one small bird strike the big picture window in Az in spite of the dots, but could not locate it afterwards. Still, the dots work far better than the parachute cord that had been on it. That said, the parachute cord, purchased on the internet and hung at 4" intervals the length of the window top to bottom, worked fairly well as long as there was some wind to move the cord. My understanding of decals per se is that they are not effective; they weren't at my house for sure. Whatever is applied must be on the outside of the window. Lee Simpson, Berks Co
On Friday, July 10, 2026 at 08:54:03 PM EDT, Lauren Fenstermacher <lnfenstermacher...> wrote:
We installed both Collidescapes and Feather Friendly at the Middle Creek Wildlife Management Area Visitors Center in Lancaster County pre-Covid and both methods are still holding up well and to my knowledge (left working there two years ago) have prevented the numerous strikes we use to get (around 10-15 a year) on our windows.
Staff installed both methods ourselves with the directions provided. The Collidescapes was a little more difficult to install as you need to wet the windows. It’s a two person job but I have installed Feather Friendly easily with the tape on my own. The Collidescapes cuts down on solar radiation and as such could save on cooling cost in the summer but is obstructive to view out of. I wouldn’t recommend it for large windows where you like to bird watch out of. The other options mentioned on the American Bird Conservancy website and that Scott mentioned would be better for that like Feather Friendly and the Acopian Bird Savers.
Lauren Ferreri
Auburn, PA
> On Jul 10, 2026, at 2:22 PM, SCOTT WEIDENSAUL <000001343b2dd726-dmarc-request...> wrote:
> Another option is Feather Friendly (disclaimer, I have no ties to the company), which makes UV-reflective dots, about .25” square, that come in long tape strips that you apply either vertically or horizontally to a window, rub them firmly so the dots adhere, then lift away the clear tape. The only glass in our house that didn’t have external screens was our rear slider, where we had window strikes. I applied Feather Friendly in a grid three (I believe) years ago and have not had a single strike since then.
>
> https://featherfriendly.com >
> A second option is Collide Escape, which Hawk Mountain has used with great success on its large windows at the Acopian Center and the Education Building. It’s an external, UV-reflective film that can be custom-made with art or designs visible from the outside to people, while from inside the window looks much as it would if it had a normal screen. Same disclaimer applies. This approach is pricier.
>
> https://www.collidescape.org/ >
> And finally there are Acopian Bird Savers, which are simply long cords hanging vertically in front of a window, moving in the wind and providing a visual barrier to a flying bird. They are available for purchase at https://www.birdsavers.com but the site also provides DIY instructions for making your own out of parachute cord.
>
> https://www.birdsavers.com >
> So, lots of ways to cut down on window strikes.
>
> Scott Weidensaul
> Milton, NH (formerly Schuylkill Co.)
>
>> On Jul 10, 2026, at 1:20 PM, Anne Annibali <anneanni...> wrote:
>>
>> Jerry,
>>
>> We've had very good results with the UV reflective cling decals on our sunroom windows since it was built in 2010. And it's right in the line of flight from our front yard to all our bird feeder stations in the back yard.
>>
>> Decals come in a variety of designs and they're not terribly expensive. We've experimented with a couple different brands bought through Amazon and the less expensive one has been just as effective as the pricier one. We chose the leaf-shaped ones to blend in with our wooded property and even though they're only semi-translucent, they don't detract from the view at all. And the only time any of them ever peeled off was when we needed to power-wash the sunroom siding.
>>
>> Two points to be aware of. They do deteriorate eventually and lose some of the UV coating so they'll need to be replaced. You'll know when that's necessary because you'll start to experience bird strikes again. And secondly, the decals aren't very large so you'll likely need to buy more than one set to have enough for full coverage.
>>
>> Good luck,
>> Anne Annibali, Mount Gretna Lebanon County
>>
>> ________________________________
>> From: Bird discussion list for Pennsylvania <PABIRDS...> on behalf of jerry Kruth <00000005ead0dac6-dmarc-request...>
>> Sent: Friday, July 10, 2026 10:38 AM
>> To: <PABIRDS...> <PABIRDS...>
>> Subject: [PABIRDS] Help about window strikes
>>
>> What to do about window strikes?
>> Foolishly (now) we had glass panels installed on the upper deck, and we've already experienced several strikes, and at least a fatality due to creatures flying into the panel!
>> Had I fathomed this, we'd never had done this, but what to do now?
>> Decals!
>> Does anyone have any suggestions about what kind of decal is most effective?
>> We are very stressed about thiis and want to prevent any more accidents without destroying entirely the ambiance.
>> Thanks v much for any assistance, and best wishes,
>> Jerry Kruth
>> Pittsburgh
