To stop magpies from hitting your windows, you need to break up the reflection or create a physical barrier so they see the glass as solid, using things like shade cloth, tape patterns, hanging objects (tinsel, ribbons), or window film, as scaring tactics are usually ineffective because they're defending territory. Cover the outside of the glass for best results to stop reflections, ensuring any netting is large enough not to entangle them.
Prevent birds from getting access to the windows by hanging netting from the eaves or window frames. Hanging baskets or pot plants may be equally effective. Install anti-glare screens over the windows.
So I scrolled a bit further and found an article on Scottish folklore. Apparently, a magpie tapping at your window is an omen of death and signifies that someone close to you will die in a matter of days. It is not seen as a hostile event but more of a preemptive warning.
Put up a couple of stakes in front of the window on the sides as to not block the window. String some chicken wire zig zagged across the two posts. When the bird tries to do it again, it'll be blocked by the wire and will stop trying to go that way.
Making small changes to your home can make a big difference for your local native birds. The best way to prevent birds hitting your windows is to make them less reflective or transparent, to remove any visual pathways.
Dot Patterns and Tape. Long-lasting tape products offer an easier way to apply the correct spacing of dots across your window. Products such as those available at Feather Friendly work well in preventing collisions.
The male sees his reflection in the window and thinks it is a rival trying to usurp his territory. He flies at the window to try and make the rival leave. This behavior is most often reported in mockingbirds, robins, and cardinals. Stopping this behavior can be difficult.
Sticking one or two decals on a window will not help. You might try one of these techniques, ranked roughly from most to least effective: Cover the glass on the outside with window screening or netting at least 2–3 inches from the glass, taut enough to bounce birds off before they can hit the glass.
Birds dislike strong, irritating smells like peppermint, garlic, vinegar, chili/cayenne pepper, and citronella, primarily due to chemicals like allicin (garlic) or capsaicin (chili) that irritate their senses, or sharp scents like peppermint and vinegar that disrupt their comfort; a specific compound, methyl anthranilate (from Concord grapes), also irritates their beak, eyes, and throat. While no single smell is universally hated by all species, these strong scents deter them from roosting or foraging in unwanted areas, often used in homemade sprays.
Bird collisions with glass can occur for several reasons, reflection, transparency or for territory. Glass on our windows and doors can reflect surrounding vegetation or sky giving the illusion that it's a landscape that birds can use.
Numerous people assume that if a magpie is outside their window, they should reconsider their path, and some changes could be coming. The magpie might be a message of new beginnings, change, or simply to remind you that you have an intention.
The species is highly intelligent and adapts to change successfully. Magpies have been known to recognise human faces, solving tests and looking at themselves in a mirror. Perhaps they are ruling over your feed table, preventing smaller bird species from coming to feast.
How do you deter Magpie Larks (pee wees)? Magpie Larks have very little response to sound devices. The best way to deter them is by attacking their sense of sight. Holographic bird scare ribbon flapping in the breeze works well on them.
This is usually a territorial behaviour, which occurs mainly in the breeding season: the bird sees its own reflection in the glass as a rival. Their determination to drive away the intruder makes them difficult to deter.
Use Visual Scare Tactics And Mix Them Up
Crows and magpies are cautious but curious. Classic scarecrows don't work forever, but rotating deterrents like shiny objects, fluttering tape, or reflective pinwheels can help.
Install a small-mesh net or screen (a net 5/8” in diameter works well) at least 3 inches from the glass. Make sure that it is taut enough that the birds will bounce off unharmed instead of hitting the glass. Add bird images to your windows. These are commercially available but also fun for kids to make.
The strong smell of peppermint is enough to repel birds on its own. With most peppers being spicy, their smell often creates a burning sensation. Specific types of pepper that can deter birds include chili peppers and cayenne pepper. Birds avoid garlic because it contains allicin, along with its strong, natural odor.
Reflective Surfaces. Birds are naturally deterred by bright, reflective surfaces, which means that hanging CDs, aluminium foil, or special reflective tapes can scare birds away. Affordable and easy to execute, this natural method offers a simple yet effective solution.
Some people swear the strong smell of Irish Spring soap repels birds and other pests. However, there is no scientific evidence that the soap deters birds or other pests in the garden.
Put a screen or a shade cloth over the window which is nearest to bird activity. A shade cloth, available at hardware stores, is a plastic mesh that allows you to see through, yet keeps the windows from having reflections. If you have blinds, turn them so they are slightly closed, this will reduce reflection.
Remove reflections
WingSafe™ Black Dot Pattern film provides a Threat Factor 4 solution, rated by the American Bird Conservancy, by introducing subtle yet effective patterns that help birds recognize windows as obstacles and avoid injury and death.
There are a number of things that you can do to prevent birds flying into glass and/or attacking their reflections:
Scotland: A single magpie near a house window signals an impending death. Wales: Seeing a magpie crossing your path from right to left before a journey predicts danger on the road. Ireland: Magpies are thought to represent the souls of gossiping or malicious women.
Birds as Spiritual Inspiration
God may send you spiritual messages through your daily interaction with birds. Wansbury writes: "These messages are words of wisdom and advice, and they can help us to identify talents we are not using, or the negative beliefs and thought patterns that are holding us back.