Pigeons fly into windows by accident, usually because the glass reflects trees or the sky and they mistake it for open space or a place to land.
A collision can kill a pigeon: many birds that hit windows die from their injuries, sometimes hours later, so watch for signs of pigeons dying after a strike. Other birds hit windows too, but pigeons are so common that they account for many of the deaths.
If you have a window that is prone to birds of any kind flying into it here are a few steps you can take to prevent this from happening:
- Install a light net – this is a flexible net that is fitted over your window a few inches away, if a pigeon flies into your window the net will bounce them away from it like a trampoline.
- External coverings – fitting an external shutter, sunshade or awning will prevent light from reflecting directly off your window making it more obvious to pigeons that it is a window.
- Tape – attaching strips of tape or dots to the outside of the glass, spaced no more than about 5 cm (2 inches) apart, makes it clear to pigeons that it is a window. A single ‘x’ of tape leaves large gaps and works less well.
- Bug screens – this works in a similar way to light nets however they are less bouncy, but they should still prevent a bird from fatally injuring themselves.
- Relocate pigeon feeders – if you move your bird feeder very close to the window (3 feet or so) then there is insufficient distance for a collision to be fatal as they won’t be able to pick up enough speed in that small space.
Last updated 31 October 2026 · Behavior