Hummingbirds
(and other small birds)
Do BirdSavers with cords spaced at 4" work for hummingbirds? YES
Many people use BirdSavers specifically to protect hummers (you can read some of their stories below). Recently, we have seen a few misleading posts on the internet that BirdSavers cords should follow a "2 inch spacing guideline". The American Bird Conservancy explains this misunderstanding best when they say, "the 2 inch spacing guideline refers to two dimensional patterns and does not apply to Acopian BirdSavers". With over 14 years of practical experience with Acopian BirdSavers at the 4 inch spacing, we can confirm that that spacing is very effective even for small birds. You can read more about 2” vs. 4” spacing in this BirdSavers FAQ.
"We had numerous hummingbirds crashing into our glass slider that opens on our back yard in Ventura, CA. After we put up emergency sticky notes, learned about Acopian BirdSavers. They have completely stopped the collisions and they are pleasing to look through and the motion in the wind is also nice. I have another installation which has successfully eliminated distressing collisions of wintering Hermit Thrushes from a glass sliding door in the Sierra foothills. These are the most effective, attractive, and sustainable way to save birds from windows. Keep up the good work Jeff!"
Paul Pyle
Ventura, CA
(BirdSavers in place for 2 years.)
"Hummingbirds were always flying into a big picture window at our mountain house. Since installing the BirdSavers we haven’t had any fly into the window"
See Photos here and here.
Diane B.
Mineral Bluff, GA
(BirdSavers in place for 7 months.)
In July 2017, someone called and wanted to do something quickly because she had recently planted some bushes in front of her windows, and already 4 hummingbirds had died there. I sent BirdSavers for her three windows that same day. A few weeks later when I asked how the BirdSavers were working for her, she replied:
"Awesome. We have not had a bird strike since they were put up and the hummingbirds are avoiding those windows visibly. You can see them start in that direction and then just fly up and away from the windows. I cannot thank you enough for making them and sending them so quickly. It took about 24 hours for me to get used to the way they look and now I do not notice them in the window at all. Please use me as a testimonial if you care to. The way you made them that day for me and then shipped them overnight at your expense really touched me. Thank you"
Karen Berg
Louisville, Kentucky
And in May of 2021 (almost 4 years later) when I contacted Karen to ask how the BirdSavers were working, she responded:
"Still perfect!"
"The BirdSavers are on two 4’x5’ windows in great room and main house glass door entrance. There are over 1000 red oaks trees on the ranch surrounded by over a thousand acres of open land and by extension have thousands of birds locally. Bird strike thuds were on three specific windows when we built the house and on many occasions they wiped out entire families of 5-6 impacts at once (quails mostly and humming birds). It was not uncommon to have several strikes daily and each thud sounded like a softball being thrown and each deadly. I tried just about everything on the windows using various home made and bought reflectors to avoid strikes that helped somewhat, but did not mitigate completely. Skeptical, and after speaking with Mr. Acopian who put forth his applied concept I purchased and installed one on the big killer window... I couldn’t believe it worked. Thereafter, installed several more, and they all amazingly performed as explained."
See Photos here, here, and here.
Cid Cabriales, home/ranch owner
23 acres central coast California
(BirdSavers in place for 2 years, 10 months.)
"I purchased these BirdSavers for my workplace. I became disheartened with birds hitting the picture windows overlooking the floodplain below. A dead hummingbird was the straw that broke the camel’s back. I looked for a solution online and found Acopian BirdSavers. I have not noticed a single significant bird strike since the install - over a year ago now. I find it really refreshing that you not only manufacture/sell a turnkey solution, but you also provide DIY instructions for those that might not want to buy something. It shows you’re motivated to save birds, not necessarily make a buck."
Jon Zvanovec, Project Manager
Metroparks Toledo
Maumee, OH
(BirdSavers in place for 1 year, 8 months.)
"I have Acopian Birdsavers on 90% of my windows. Several years ago I was sitting on my back deck and a hummingbird hit a window and died before my eyes. That was the straw that broke the camel’s back! I had tried other ways of deterring bird strikes but they didn’t work. Any time someone wonders what they can do to reduce bird strikes, I recommend Acopian BirdSavers! Thank you for developing this product!"
Deb Siefken
Orrtanna, PA
(BirdSavers in place for 5 years, 8 months.)