Bird feeders are a frequent find in the yards of devoted bird lovers and casual bird watchers alike. Backyard wild bird feeders attract a variety of birds and can contribute to a healthy backyard habitat for wildlife. Unfortunately, many people place bird feeders close to windows to allow for convenient viewing, and this can endanger the very birds that the feeders are designed to attract and support. Hummingbird feeders, in particular, are often placed near windows because the tiny, acrobatic birds are fun to watch.
One of the leading causes of death in the wild bird population is flying into glass windows. Nearly 100 million birds are estimated to die annually after colliding with glass windows of homes and businesses. Illusions created by the windows are what cause problems. Windows can reflect a bird's natural surroundings making the presence of the window undetectable by a flying bird. A collision with window glass can stun a bird temporarily, making it vulnerable to predators, and can break its neck and kill it.
Windows are a particular danger when birds feeding on a bird feeder are threatened by a predator or otherwise startled. If a predatory bird, such as a hawk, were to swoop down upon a group of feeding birds on a bird feeder located near the windows of a home, the frenzied birds scattering and searching for safety are more likely to collide with windows that they don't have the perception or the time to avoid.
One quick and easy way to help reduce the chances of wild birds colliding with your windows is to place your birds feeders thoughtfully throughout your yard, taking into consideration not only your windows but those of nearby neighbors as well as the natural protection of trees and shrubs available to the birds you plan to feed from your birds feeders. It won't take long to create a safer feeding environment for the birds you invite to your yard. After all, the last thing a bird lover wants to do is cause harm to a feathered guest by Ann Mason

Great tips, Susan. Another idea is to use window decals on windows that seem prone to collisions. Several companies now market these, some are even designed to be almost invisible from the inside looking out, but from the outside looking in, they really show up. Just Google 'window decal for birds' and you'll get a bunch of hits.

Interestingly enough, from my experience, this doesn't seem to be as much of a problem with Hummingbirds. We have a lot of hummers around here all summer long. We've had many come up to a window and hover, but I have yet to hear one hit a window, nor have I ever found one on the ground. Perhaps their eyes are a bit different, or maybe its just that they're so much more used to unbelievably quick aerobatic maneuvering? For whatever reason, they just don't seem to hit windows like other birds do.

Good tips. At the wild bird store where I'm working they sell those decals. They also sell feeders of all kinds that can affix to a window.

Perhaps if the window is a south facing one it is the worst. My parents have a few big windows facing south & have had some collisions.

Jac, we have a large plate glass window that faces south & most of the collisions that happen are on that window. But, we also have a north facing big window that has recieved a couple hits.

Here's the thing though, if you stand in front of our south facing window looking north you can see thru the north window. Does anyone think that would contribute to collisions?

It very well could. I would close the curtain on one of them.