INSTALL D.I.Y. WINDOW TREATMENTS TO MAKE YOUR HOME FOR THE BIRDS / {Individual Kind Action}
Birds are awesome. While buildings can be too, most are equipped with a sizable amount of reflective glass, which makes them anything but awesome for the birds. Of course we’re talking about bird strikes. If you’ve ever had a home in active bird habitat, you’re likely familiar. The sound of a bird hitting glass at full speed is absolutely horrible. While many times the bird is “just” knocked out, and may recover after a time, it’s more common that the impact will be fatal. In my lifetime, I’ve had the good fortune of “owning” three different mountain homes – each with many windows that caused many a bird death or injury. After a particularly gutting encounter with a beautiful little vireo at my last home, I was determined to solve the problem. In my research, I learned a lot. There are decals and theories and arguments and debates. But in the end I found that vertical stripes spaced every four inches was a “scientifically proven” solution that made the most sense. I then discovered the saints at Acopian Birdsavers, and committed to making their suggested “DIY bird curtains” out of ordinary 550 paracord. I set up a little tying jig and spool feeder in my shop, and chipped away at making curtains for all 45 of my home’s windows. I then installed them with some help for the higher glass from my friend Derek, the window-wash wizard. To finish the job like a guy versed in advertising might, I asked Jay Ferracane to design a sticker for the front door (and sent the rest of the stickers to Jeff Acopian to give to his clients). When it was all said and done, I felt so much better. Because the curtains worked. (For more context, keep scrolling.)
It would be amazing if more buildings had bird-safe glass. When you look into the numbers on bird deaths from window strikes, it’s totally shocking. The estimation is one billion deaths per year, worldwide. But as with all things in life, any change we want to see “out there” has to start with our own actions and attitudes. Making my home more bird-safe did start conversations, though. When I sold the home in August of 2021, I even attempted to make it part of the sale parameters that the new owners must keep the curtains up. I’m not sure that stuck, but the few neighbors I had on that remote dirt road all noticed. As with pretty much every chosen behavior in the “vegan lifestyle,” I believe the best we can do is to be mindful of our own actions – while working diligently to be inclusive, understanding and accepting of all views and choices. That said, sometimes our own actions certainly do "rub off” on others. Regardless, all I can say is - for me - it always feels “deeply right” to do what I can for the innocents. Thank you for reading.
