Photo ©
aprilante
The weather is warmer and the days are longer, which means it’s the perfect season for some birding! Would you like to make your home more hospitable for birds? All it takes are a few simple steps. Learn more in our blog mini-series, this last time about…
Protection
Although birds live in all types of environments, from warm to cool and urban to rural, there are threats that persist everywhere. Here are some tips to make your home a safe haven.
- Use alternatives to chemical pesticides. Hungry birds looking for a snack may accidentally eat chemical pesticides. They are poisonous, and can harm or even kill birds. Natural, non-toxic, easy-to-make pest repellents are just a Google search away! Try these to start.
- Keep pet cats indoors. It feels cruel to keep your pet cooped up inside, but cats are responsible for killing millions of birds every year, including fledglings and birds that make their nests on the ground. Additionally, you’ll protect your cat from predators, traffic, and feline fights!
- Reduce window reflections. Up to 100 million birds die from window collisions each year. Preventing these deaths can be a fun and creative activity! Stickers, silhouettes, and garland can help to break up the reflection and show birds they can’t fly through. An inexpensive trick is to draw on the exterior of your window with soap. There are many scientists investigating the best materials to prevent window collisions.
- Turn off your lights at night. Migrating birds, who sometimes fly all night long, could collide with a brightly lit window. Fatal Light Awareness Program is a Canadian organization that informs the public about this phenomenon.
Interested in learning more? This blog entry is an adaptation of Threats to Birds. You can also explore Why Birds Hit Windows, courtesy of All About Birds.
~Brigid Lucey