One way window film or glass to observe hummingbirds at window feeder

[Muse]

This year I installed hummingbird feeders in my yard. Those birds tend to be territorial, so several feeders is better than one and ideally they can't be seen from each other. In my case I have 3 at approximately the corners of an equilateral triangle 30 feet on a side and nothing blocking the view particularly, so not ideal. However I have a 4th that can't be seen from the others which is a window mount at my kitchen. I can see birds approach and light on the window feeder from inside the kitchen. Neat! Problem is a bird at my window feeder when I'm in the kitchen sees me and at my slightest movement it usually flies off instantly. Each bird has its own personality, some trust me more, others are so skittish they won't even light on the feeder but hover while they partake of the sugar water.

So, I got the idea of one way film or glass I can apply, presumably to the inside of my window glass. Doesn't have to cover the whole window, just enough so the birds won't see me inside. Ideally the film or glass would let light in totally, but at least enough so I can comfortably see what's outside during daylight hours. Also, of course, a crucial aspect is that the birds won't see me move and get spooked and fly off. They start to fly/feed, etc. as it starts to get light in the morning and they cease activity when it gets dark.

I see a lot of plastic window coverings at Amazon called one way, some with adhesive, some not (I don't mind not having glue, static adherence or spraying soapy water and squeegeeing seems OK to me).

One thing I wonder about is that most of these seem to reflect from the outside. I'm wondering if a hummingbird that sees its own reflection as it approaches will get spooked and just fly off immediately. They are typically very skittish creatures. It would be ideal if from the outside they'd see no reflection at all. I don't know if that's possible or available. What do you think?

 

[WelshBloke]

Net curtains?
Window film might be a bit reflective and spook the birds.

Disclaimer: I know nothing about hummingbirds apart from them being super cool and wishing we had them here!

 

[Greenman]

All of them will be reflective from the lit side, and see through from the dark side. If you're in the room at night with a light on, you'll see a mirror, your neighbors will see you.

 

[Muse]

All of them will be reflective from the lit side, and see through from the dark side. If you're in the room at night with a light on, you'll see a mirror, your neighbors will see you.

I'm not concerned about being seen by neighbors when in my kitchen. Maybe will try it (10 bucks) and if the birds are spooked by their own reflection, will try @WelshBloke idea of netting.

There are many styles and I don't know what would be best. I have this in my cart:

STATINT Privacy Window Film One Way Mirror Glass Tint Heat Control Sun UV Blocking Sliding Door Tinting Reflective Static Cling for Home, Black-Silver, 17.5 Inch X 6.5 Feet​

 

[IronWing]

Hummingbirds hate each other far more than they worry about us. Any reflection will be bad. The hate hummingbirds feel for each other may have no human equivalent. Baby hummingbirds face away from each other in the nest because being so close to another hummingbird stresses them out.

 

[ArizonaSteve]

Honestly hummingbirds just don't care. I would fill up my feeders each morning and they would hover outside the door waiting for me. Then they would land on the feeders and drink... while I was carrying it to the hanger. They have absolutely no fear.

 

[lxskllr]

Hummingbirds hate each other far more than they worry about us. Any reflection will be bad. The hate hummingbirds feel for each other may have no human equivalent. Baby hummingbirds face away from each other in the nest because being so close to another hummingbird stresses them out.

and I thought I found cats relatable. Maybe my spirit animal is a hummingbird.

 

[dank69]

Hummingbirds hate each other far more than they worry about us. Any reflection will be bad. The hate hummingbirds feel for each other may have no human equivalent. Baby hummingbirds face away from each other in the nest because being so close to another hummingbird stresses them out.

Is this always true? We have a feeder and we have one bird that will chase away any others that try to use it. Then we go to my wife's aunt's house on a lake and she has 3 feeders with 20 birds all hanging out taking turns on the 12 nozzles like it's the coffee machine at work.

 

[Red Squirrel]

A web cam could be an option maybe? Or pretty much any form of camera that has HDMI out and just go to a screen somewhere.

 

[ArizonaSteve]

Baby hummingbirds face away from each other in the nest because being so close to another hummingbird stresses them out.

Umm... nope (had a nest outside the kitchen window and a 400mm lens trained on it)

Spoiler

 

[Stopsignhank]

Interesting idea. I was thinking to try it, what is the worst that can happen. I mean the HB may try and chase itself away. But then it could try to fight it's reflection in the window and fly into the window. You could try it and if you see them attacking the window go to plan B.

 

[Muse]

Honestly hummingbirds just don't care. I would fill up my feeders each morning and they would hover outside the door waiting for me. Then they would land on the feeders and drink... while I was carrying it to the hanger. They have absolutely no fear.

Mine think I'm the boogieman. I'm new to this. Seems like there's just not all that many around here. The videos just posted, i.e. @Stopsignhank's showing dozens of HBs thronging all over 3 feeders is just another world compared to what I'm seeing so far.

I've been cleaning and refilling my 4 feeders before dawn so when the birdies wake up there's fresh sugar water. Every 4 or 5 days. Not filling them because they aren't drawing down more than 5-9 ounces of sugar water from any. They seem to be eating less the last week or two. I wonder if some have migrated. I'm still seeing what I think may be black-chinned (look that way!) and I heard they fly to Mexico in early September (at least from Los Angeles), so I'm wondering why those are still around here. My HBs vary in size quite a bit. Some seem 2x as big as others (by volume).

 

[Stopsignhank]

Is this always true? We have a feeder and we have one bird that will chase away any others that try to use it. Then we go to my wife's aunt's house on a lake and she has 3 feeders with 20 birds all hanging out taking turns on the 12 nozzles like it's the coffee machine at work.

If you have one feeder one bird will lay claim to it and chase away any other birds that will try and use it. If you want to feed more than that one bird they say you should get multiple feeders and put them close together. This draws multiple birds and this will overwhelm the one bird that is trying to chase the other birds away. The magic question is how close do you put the other feeders. I have my 3 feeders about 5 feet away from each other and...... well it seems to work.

 

[Stopsignhank]

Mine think I'm the boogieman. I'm new to this. Seems like there's just not all that many around here. The videos just posted, i.e. @Stopsignhank's showing dozens of HBs thronging all over 3 feeders is just another world compared to what I'm seeing so far.

I've been cleaning and refilling my 4 feeders before dawn so when the birdies wake up there's fresh sugar water. Every 4 or 5 days. Not filling them because they aren't drawing down more than 5-9 ounces of sugar water from any. They seem to be eating less the last week or two. I wonder if some have migrated. I'm still seeing what I think may be black-chinned (look that way!) and I heard they fly to Mexico in early September (at least from Los Angeles), so I'm wondering why those are still around here. My HBs vary in size quite a bit. Some seem 2x as big as others (by volume).

Kind of depends on where you live too. I do not live in a city, but outside of a city that has farmland around it. There are also many people around here that have horses. We have a lot of wildlife around here anyway. I did not have this many HBs to start in the past years. They just seem to have found me this year. Also putting the feeders closer together increased the number of HBs I got this year exponentially.

 

[Stopsignhank]

Umm... nope (had a nest outside the kitchen window and a 400mm lens trained on it)

Spoiler

View attachment 107956View attachment 107955

That is so freaking cool!!

 

[Muse]

I have an idea!

Them birdies will see their reflection as they approach the feeder because there's a point on the surface of the planar reflective surface that is on the line drawn between the bird's eye and the plane of the surface. I know, that sounds complicated, but it's the same as the fact that in order to see yourself in a mirror you have to be where you can see yourself, not off to the side.

So, my idea is to tilt the surface enough where the bird can't see itself as it approaches. I figure 15 degrees or so would be enough. Maybe a bit more, maybe a bit less.

I can get a piece of clear planar material (a piece of glass or plastic) of the right proportions, affix one way plastic sheeting to it and lean it against the window from the inside. Adjust the angle to the minimum of what works so the bird never sees itself as it approaches the feeder. Of course, every time bird approaches is different. Anyway, it's easily adjusted. Fortunately my kitchen window is just above a bit of tile counter that juts out into the room around 10-12 inches, so this is easily done. I have plastic sheeting I can cut to an appropriate size, which I figure is about 12 inches square.

I do not know if this will work! Maybe if the angle is large enough... But that will darken the image I see from the inside.

Now to order my plastic sheeting.

 

[Muse]

Update:

Got my one way plastic film:

STATINT Privacy Window Film One Way Mirror Glass Tint Heat Control Sun UV Blocking Sliding Door Tinting Reflective Static Cling for Home, Black-Silver, 17.5 Inch $8.99

Amazon.com

Cut a piece and loosely taped it to a piece of picture frame glass, about 10"x13"

Leaned that against inside of my kitchen window.

It works pretty well most of the time. Depends on lighting conditions inside and outside.

Downside is the view is quite a bit darker but it's much better than the birds flying away the moment they spot me.

 

[BoomerD]

Update:

Got my one way plastic film:

STATINT Privacy Window Film One Way Mirror Glass Tint Heat Control Sun UV Blocking Sliding Door Tinting Reflective Static Cling for Home, Black-Silver, 17.5 Inch $8.99

Amazon.com

Cut a piece and loosely taped it to a piece of picture frame glass, about 10"x13"

Leaned that against inside of my kitchen window.

It works pretty well most of the time. Depends on lighting conditions inside and outside.

Downside is the view is quite a bit darker but it's much better than the birds flying away the moment they spot me.

You could always hang a sheer curtain in front of the window