Dear Ian,
It was such a treat to wake up the other day to your garden (Bulb Log). I have been mulling some thoughts when this article came my way.
It was a delight to look out your windows, and it is a good thing you do not clean them much—it reduces their mirror-like, reflective qualities.
Birds have very fragile, pneumatic bones; hollow and air-filled yet strengthed by struts. This gives them their light weight compared to mammals of similar size. They still have marrow-filled bones, but these are in their torso where all their weight is centered. Some of their pneumatic bones are connected to their air sacs, their breathing/respiratory system.
Crashing into windows and window doors the invisible hard surface or the reflections of nature that isn’t there, the seasonal fighting with their reflection all are lethal. Not cleaning these window surfaces; leaving patterns of streaks; placing patterns, decals, and in some cases a frame of netting (not very artistic rendering) do reduce collisions.
Enough of my bird lover’s soapbox! A very delightful tour.
Jasmin
https://www.npr.org/2025/10/17/nx-s1-5571014/bird-migration-collisions-glass-buildings
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