Question about window safety

[CrazyBirdChick]

I used to have blinds on the windows in Blu's room but then decided to take them down because I was afraid he'd one day figure out how to chew up the strings and get tangled or strangled.

I wanted to put curtains up but can't find bird safe curtain rods because I know he'd be all over them. I may make my own one day out of bamboo or something.

For now, I keep nothing on the windows during the day and I put up black out drapes at night, using tension rods so it's easy to take up or down with no holes or drilling.

So....lately I've been getting paranoid because you always hear about birds crashing into windows. I believe Blu knows that they are closed windows because I've shown him that they are there. And there's an old sticker on both of his windows from when I first had them installed.

Is this sticker enough of a reminder to him that these are infact windows?



If not, I was planning on buying those bird safety window decals Classic Square Decal Envelope - 4 decal pack - WindowAlert but...I'm a little confused because they are meant for outdoor birds and the instructions say to put them on the outside of the window. So if I do need to buy some how would that work for an indoor parrot?

 

[Mizzely]

They specifically say outside because the reflective surface is on the side that doesn't stick to the glass. So if someone puts it inside they aren't getting the benefit for wild birds.

The FAQ says this

Do the decals work if they are placed on the inside of the window?

• The decals are approximately 25% as effective when attached to the inside of the window. This is because most of the UV light reflected by the decal is absorbed or diffused by the glass.

So yes it should work.

I just use cheap curtain rods... My green cheek loved to be up there but didn't chew them so I didn't really see a need to update them.

 

[CrazyBirdChick]

Thanks so much, Shawna!!

 

[CrazyBirdChick]

I finally ordered the decals and after receiving them I emailed the company to ask if I should just stick them on the window with the UV facing the indoors and the email I received said it won't work for that purpose

This is the response I got

The UV decals won’t work inside the house. They need exposure to UV light to be effective. Thank you for your question and please let me know if you need any other help.



Now I need another bird safe solution. Does anyone have any ideas?

 

[Shezbug]

I have post it notes stuck all over my window as I did not want to put something more permanent knowing I will be moving soon. They are not very nice to look at but work for both Burt and the outside birds and are really easy to remove when I need to clean the window. I will look into more permanent ones when I do finally move.

 

[CrazyBirdChick]

I have post it notes stuck all over my window as I did not want to put something more permanent knowing I will be moving soon. They are not very nice to look at but work for both Burt and the outside birds and are really easy to remove when I need to clean the window. I will look into more permanent ones when I do finally move.

That's a good idea. So as long as there's something like, say, a few stickers or a piece of paper that should be good enough for a bird to understand something is there? It doesn't have to have UV on it?

 

[Shezbug]

They have worked for Burt and also the many outdoor birds that normally smash into my windows daily. We have a massive worm farm outside a few feet from my window, the little birds all like to hang out there and steal worms, slater bugs AKA butchy boys and any food/garden scraps they can find and every day a few of them hit my window.....not since I have had the post it notes there! No more birds smashing into the windows since I have put the notes there for Burt so I now have happy safe indoor and outdoor birds

 

[geff]

I always encouraged birds to the window enabling them to feel the Windows and they generally like to tap the glass.
Which while I find it amusing how they react and tap out little tunes. This makes them aware glass is solid and they get to look at things outside. Which is a form of enrichment both physical and mental. It helps reduce the risk of flying into the glass.

 

[CrazyBirdChick]

They have worked for Burt and also the many outdoor birds that normally smash into my windows daily. We have a massive worm farm outside a few feet from my window, the little birds all like to hang out there and steal worms, slater bugs AKA butchy boys and any food/garden scraps they can find and every day a few of them hit my window.....not since I have had the post it notes there! No more birds smashing into the windows since I have put the notes there for Burt so I now have happy safe indoor and outdoor birds

How cool that you have a worm farm! I'm so glad that the post its have stopped the outdoor bird strikes. Thanks for the response!

I always encouraged birds to the window enabling them to feel the Windows and they generally like to tap the glass.
Which while I find it amusing how they react and tap out little tunes. This makes them aware glass is solid and they get to look at things outside. Which is a form of enrichment both physical and mental. It helps reduce the risk of flying into the glass.

Thank you! I think my boy realizes that windows are solid because I've let him touch them too. I just worry that if he ever panicked about something I wonder if he would remember

 

[JLcribber]

Is this sticker enough of a reminder to him that these are infact windows?

Not if it's just one sticker? The window must appear "not passable" to be of any effect. Like criss crossing tape to simulate bars.

I would have just left the blinds up and modify/hide the string.

 

[CrazyBirdChick]

Not if it's just one sticker? The window must appear "not passable" to be of any effect. Like criss crossing tape to simulate bars.

I would have just left the blinds up and modify/hide the string.

Ok, thank you John! I will have to figure out a way to put multiple patterns on them then.

I wanted to leave up the blinds and I could hide the long string that let's you pull up or down the blinds. But I also worried that there are strings throughout the whole blinds. There were three strings going through the blinds to hold it all together that look like this

I felt he could have gotten tangled or strangled in between those slats too and there was no way to hide that part

 

[Begone]

Have you seen my thread?
Pictures - Window protection | Avian Avenue Parrot Forum

 

[CrazyBirdChick]

Have you seen my thread?
Pictures - Window protection | Avian Avenue Parrot Forum

Yes, you did a beautiful job! The only reason I didn't think to do it that way is because I think mine would be ugly, lol. I'm not that talented. If I can't come up with a store bought solution I just may give it a go though. Can I ask, @Eloy , what did you use for the new design you just made? It almost looks like a stained glass or tile effect. Yours looks so classy!

 

[Mizzely]

Home Depot has these decorative window films. Also called window privacy film. Gives an etched glass look

 

[CrazyBirdChick]

Home Depot has these decorative window films. Also called window privacy film. Gives an etched glass look

View attachment 289917

Thank you! I just browsed through their selections and I think I might either get this one ETCHED Fx 49 in. x 13.75 in. Neuvo Blocks Premium Glass Etch Window Film-GE4009 - The Home Depot

Or this one ETCHED Fx 51 in. x 14 in. Random Blocks Premium Glass Etch Window Film-GE4013 - The Home Depot

I want something that doesn't obstruct our view too much but can also look somewhat contemporary

 

[Dartman]

We just have curtains up on all the windows but the one over the kitchen sink. That one has vinyl blinds on it and Dobby has discovered they are delicious and happily bites chunks out of them whenever he can sneak over and reach them. He does like to sit on the curtain rods and preen and snooze and sometimes gnaw on the fabric at the top but he's never hurt himself or flew into the windows yet with everything in the way. Maybe the old school aluminum blinds would be better for us provided he can't chunk them too but we try to leave it in a way it's harder to reach to bite. The unused, basically storage bedroom, just has those according paper window shades you buy super cheap to cover windows till you get good curtains or blinds later.

 

[CrazyBirdChick]

We just have curtains up on all the windows but the one over the kitchen sink. That one has vinyl blinds on it and Dobby has discovered they are delicious and happily bites chunks out of them whenever he can sneak over and reach them. He does like to sit on the curtain rods and preen and snooze and sometimes gnaw on the fabric at the top but he's never hurt himself or flew into the windows yet with everything in the way. Maybe the old school aluminum blinds would be better for us provided he can't chunk them too but we try to leave it in a way it's harder to reach to bite. The unused, basically storage bedroom, just has those according paper window shades you buy super cheap to cover windows till you get good curtains or blinds later.

Dobby is so funny about eating and taking chunks out of stuff. I really would like to just leave my blackout curtains up all day, instead of just at night, but Blu is pretty skilled at making a hole in fabrics within minutes. I'd hate to have him make a hole in them because then they wouldn't be blackout curtains anymore. I depend on those to make sure he sleeps enough

 

[Dartman]

Well if you like the curtains maybe put some sacrificial curtains or something in front of them he can destroy first. I have some very nice insulated and blackout curtains in my bedroom. It keeps the light out and also helps keep the room warmer even though I have decent newer double pain windows here. I would like to get some more for the other rooms but decent ones seem hard to find plus some of them I'd like light to come through like in here, my computer room. Dobby is also very skilled and quick at punching round holes in anything cloth we have covering things. Lurch used to just teeth and gnaw on the wool army blankets we use, Dobby just reaches down and can openers holes in them, maybe we need to trim his pointy beak.

 

[CrazyBirdChick]

Well if you like the curtains maybe put some sacrificial curtains or something in front of them he can destroy first. I have some very nice insulated and blackout curtains in my bedroom. It keeps the light out and also helps keep the room warmer even though I have decent newer double pain windows here. I would like to get some more for the other rooms but decent ones seem hard to find plus some of them I'd like light to come through like in here, my computer room. Dobby is also very skilled and quick at punching round holes in anything cloth we have covering things. Lurch used to just teeth and gnaw on the wool army blankets we use, Dobby just reaches down and can openers holes in them, maybe we need to trim his pointy beak.

Putting sacrificial curtains up during the day is an excellent idea, Terry! My only concern with that is, once he makes holes in them, wouldn't that also be a strangulation or tangle hazard too?

 

[Fergus Mom]

This got me thinking Diane! Fiona is happily sitting on her tension rod (metal) right now in the window, but she's a budgie, so she doesn't try to bite that tension rod that I am aware of. (Everything else, yep) Okay so my idea is... (drumroll) LOL...

Mount dowels across the windows like curtain rods with toys hanging off of them! A curtain made of toys! Hey, I really think I'm on to something today - my Sunday coffee must be kicking in. How tall is Blu? You could do each rod about 6" or 11" or so above his head!