- Kelly Jones
- Thursday, March 24, 2022
One of my favorite features of the Ballentine Library is our beautiful picture window with a view of the woods. It is so relaxing to look out into the trees to see seasonal changes and to spot birds and animals.
We have bird feeders and a birdbath that can be seen from the seating area in the rear of the library. Our wooded location attracts a wide variety of common and unusual birds that can be spotted along our nature walk.
Recently, library staff have spotted a Cooper's Hawk, a Rose-breasted Grosbeak, and a Red-Bellied Woodpecker, among many others.
Stop by to watch birds yourself or to find out what birds we have spotted recently. Feel free to bring your binoculars for a closer look.
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Did you know?
According to a study done by the Smithsonian Institution in 2014, approximately 1 billion birds perish from window collisions in the U.S. each year.
Unlike humans, birds are not taught to avoid transparent glass on man-made structures. Instead, they see a natural-looking habitat in the reflection and think they have a clear flight path—resulting in high-speed strikes that cause serious injury or death.
Using specialty materials or window installations like CollidEscape in commercial settings makes these windows visible to birds by breaking up or eliminating the reflection of the natural habitat, thus reducing the chance of impact.
At home, you can also move your feeders away from windows, add visible decals and take many other simple actions to help reduce bird strikes.
Ready to learn more about the birds visiting your feeders? Read more about common backyard birds, here.