This Clever Marker Hack May Be The Key To Keeping Birds From Flying Into Your Windows

If you enjoy a gorgeous view from a picture window in your living room, you are fortunate. Further, if you provide the types of birds in your yard with yummy, high-fat snacks, you may have plenty of species that are ready for viewing. Unfortunately, if birds meet your windows at top speeds, they could get injured or even killed. While it's sad if this has happened to you in the past, there is something you can do today to steer them away. This clever hack involves marking your windows with a chartreuse-colored highlighter to disrupt what birds see while keeping your own view unobstructed.

There are a couple of reasons why birds sometimes smash into windows. As the light shifts from hour to hour, the reflections on the exterior side of your window change. If the glass reflects the sky, clouds, and trees, then birds perceive an open vista before them that's free to for them to travel in. Alternatively, birds are territorial, so if they spot what they think is another bird in the reflection, they might fly full speed at it. They'll want to take down a perceived competitor, especially during breeding season. Luckily, you can alter what they see to help them avoid a dispute with their own reflection.

If you like to read books and highlight your favorite passages or have a kid who uses a highlighter for their homework, you're halfway ready for this hack. The only thing you need to ensure is that you get the right color highlighter, chartreuse (or green-yellow), which looks slightly different than neon yellow (and don't use orange, pink, or blue either). You could use a tool like a ruler or level to draw straight lines, but that's optional. Also grab a microfiber cloth attached to a Swiffer mop or any other tool you use to clean windows and your cleaning products of choice.

Eliminate any dust by cleaning the window first. Working either on the inside or outside of your window, mark the glass with a grid pattern of vertical and horizontal lines. The marks don't need to be huge continuous lines from one end of the window to the other; you can freehand it or use the ruler to draw a 4-inch line every 2 to 4 inches, then continue to work vertically. If you use a white marker, you'll barely be able to see the lines, but using a chartreuse highlighter will make the lines completely invisible to you. However, this will prevent birds from flying into the window because the lines will interrupt the reflection they see on the outside. If you ever want to remove the highlighter, simply use a window cleaner or soap and water.