A few years ago I had the big front windows on my little house replaced. This was to save energy and protect the value of the house. I soon noticed that more birds were hitting the windows. I don’t know exactly why more collisions were occurring, but they were. The disturbing thud of each bird strike saddened me greatly. The last straw was on a beautiful fall day when I walked outside and found a dead cedar waxwing on my lawn beneath the front windows. Oh, no! My favorite bird!
I had tried stickers and whirl-y-gigs, but they didn’t solve the problem.
Then I read about “zen wind curtains” (a.k.a. Acopian Bird Savers) on the birdsavers.com website. They looked so simple that I decided to make them myself. I’ve been waiting to share this story until I had proof that this method of preventing birds from hitting windows is truly effective. Now, eight months after installing my DIY “zen wind curtains,” I’ve witnessed their effectiveness through the spring migration and I feel confident in recommending them. You can make them yourself, or you can buy them.
Here is what I used:
• Black 1/8” poly-cord
• White PVC “wood” strips (I don’t like PVC, but the prospect of painting and maintaining little wood strips under the eaves of my house was unacceptable, so I went with PVC)
• Small stainless steel screw-eyes
I could only find 4” x ¾” PVC wood strips, so I got a friend with a table saw to cut them down to one inch strips. I followed the specifications on the website: poly-cord must be black and strands must be spaced 4” apart. Adding the screw-eyes and cord was so simple that I was able to finish the job on my kitchen floor. Then I got a handyman friend to help me install them on a nice October day in 2025.
Within 5 minutes of installing them, a most amazing thing happened – my favorite part of the story. I went inside to see how the birds savers looked from my living room, and I saw a sparrow land on one of the black cords and swing back and forth like Tarzan with the movement from the gentle breeze. He saw the cords! I haven’t seen this since that day, but I also haven’t seen or heard any bird strikes on my windows. Now, after watching the spring migration pass through the area, I'm pleased to report that their effectiveness continues.
Most people don’t even notice the bird savers from inside or outside of my house. Those who do see them agree that they are unobtrusive and have a nice architectural feel to them. I like when they sway in the breeze, making my house feel like a wind sculpture. I especially like that the birds seem to see them. I recommend getting them up before the fall migration. Making them is a fun little project that young people or Scouts in your household might enjoy doing, too!