Window Film Will Protect Birds at Lettuce Lake Park

Ann Paul, President

I have to say that we just didn’t realize the problem.

But fortunately, it came to our attention, at last.

Birds were flying into the windows at the Joel Jackson Nature Center at Lettuce Lake Conservation Park, and being hurt, stunned, or killed. And it was even worse than we thought.

So, with the help of Lucy Polak, board member of Tampa Audubon Society and owner/manager of the Tampa store of Wild Birds Unlimited, we took steps.

Lucy contacted a vendor who works on this issue to provide us with information about decals that, when applied to the outside of windows that birds strike, helps them understand they can’t fly that way.

Paul Groleau of Feather Friendly, a company based in Canada, met with us via the magic of Zoom, and explained what was happening.

Birds were seeing the reflections of the windows at the Nature Center as open space behind the glass, space in the forest, that they could fly into. When they hit the glass, moving at the speed of flight, that was very dangerous, causing injury or death. The way to deter this and save the lives of the birds we love to watch near the windows is to take steps.

Either we need to soap the windows on the outside to stop the reflection, or put up a film on the outside of the windows to show the birds that the space just isn’t there and it is a no-fly zone!

Working with Glen Murley, park manager, and our excellent team of Audubon members, we are buying the film from Feather Friendly for the windows facing the Native Plant Garden. Glen’s staff will install it.

Soon, when you visit the nature center, you will see the film; you will see birds feeding safely at the bird feeders; and you will be glad, as we are, to know that our birds are safer.

To learn more about our project and, if you have a similar problem with your windows, go to www.featherfriendly.com.

And I want to say, a VERY BIG THANK YOU! To Lucy Polak, Paul Groleau, Glen Murley, the staff at Lettuce Lake Conservation Park, and the Board of the Tampa Audubon Society for doing our bit.

We all need to find out how we can help our feathered creatures.