Why and When Birds Hit Windows? What Does It mean When a Bird Knocks on Window?

Last Updated on September 17, 2021 by Kimberly Crawford

You might have occasionally seen or heard birds hitting on your neighbor’s or your own window.

True enough, you can shoo them away anytime but they will find their way to your window again because of some specific reasons. But they can mean more than that.

Annually, a million birds die due to hitting windows alone. On the other hand, bird hitting windows have attached spiritual meanings and it varies depending on the type of bird hitting your window. Interested? Read on.

Why do birds fly into windows?

Bird conservation agencies annually report that more than a billion birds die due to collision or hitting windows annually. This phenomenon affects the diversity of bird species in an area and of course, the ecological balance. So why do birds fly into windows?

There are two major reasons for this: daytime or nighttime collision. During the day, birds are drawn to your windows because they reflect flowers and vegetation. Nighttime collisions, on the other hand, happen because birds get drawn with the light in your home.

In both instances, birds flying into windows result in bird death, if not instantly, they get injured, unable to fend for themselves, and will eventually die too.

Bird hitting window superstition

Aside from being imbued as spiritual beings conveying specific heavenly meanings because they are considered as messengers of God, there are also a lot of superstitions revolving around birds in general. While some bring messages of hope, fortune, or good will, birds hitting windows most of the time denote misfortune, danger, or death.

When five crows suddenly hit your window in short intervals, sickness will come to add one to that set and it will mean death.
When a sparrow hits the window and it dies, superstition says that someone close to you will die. In other societies, it could also mean strong emotions and healing.
White birds hitting a window and then dying is believed to be a message of warning from departed loved ones for you to take extra caution because you might be in serious danger.
The most positive meaning is that they signify transitions in your life. It means that you need healing, to move on from a failed goal or a broken heart.

5 Spiritual meaning of birds hitting the window

Generally, birds hitting windows are said to be endowed with spiritual meanings. While these meanings can be diverse across cultures, there are five common spiritual meanings associated with birds hitting windows.

1. They are sending a message from heaven.

Because of their ability to fly, birds are considered mystically as heaven’s messengers. The spiritual messages that they carry are believed to come directly from the universe or from your departed loved ones especially on important days or significant circumstances in your life.

2. They are denoting change or the need for transformation

When birds are hitting your windows in close intervals especially when they are the same type of birds, spiritually, it means that there is an impending significant change or transition that will happen in your life. By transition, they also mean that a circumstance is about to end and healing is on its way.

3. They imply that you are having great financial worries

Birds hitting or pecking on your window means that you are too preoccupied with your finances and that your financial status is now taking much of your energy and time.

4. They denote an impending death

Birds, especially black colored birds have always meant looming danger or death. When it hits the window, it means an imminent danger that may mean life and death is at bay. If it continues pecking, someone close to you might be in danger. If a bird makes it inside your home, it means death.

5. They mean that spirits are guiding you

Birds hitting your window is not always negative, however. When they keep on hitting your window and on a regular basis, it means that you are in a good place and that spiritual forces are guiding you.

Types of birds hitting the window and their meanings

Being considered as messengers of God, specific types of birds convey differently. Here are some of the most common birds hitting windows are the specific meanings attached to them.

Sparrow

This bird hitting a window can mean death or illness in some cultures but in some, it could mean powerful emotions clouding your judgment. It could also represent a healing heart, romance, and the need for socialization.

Blue Jay

In the realm of spirituality, a blue jay hitting your window means that you have to establish communication with someone you like or someone you haven’t talked to in a long time. At the same time, it also means confidence and strength.

Condor

There is no absolute meaning to what a condor conveys because it is the symbol of mystery and esoterism. It could mean life or death depending on the life circumstances that are mostly affecting your life at the time it hit your window. It could also mean that spirits are around.

Owl

This is also quite rare but if they do fly by your windows and hit them, it represents healing, enlightenment, freedom, and building a stronger relationship with God. When it hits the window at nighttime, it stands for wisdom, discernment, and secrecy.

Cockatoo

The chances of this bird hitting your window are very rare because well, they are now rare. When they (unfortunately) hit your window, they represent positive messages. Cockatoos hitting the window represents freedom, a sense of change, celebration, an impending success, and awakening of the soul.

Dove

Heavily referenced in the Bible and history as an emblem of peace, a dove hitting a window can mean other things. For one, it represents the perspective and visionary power. It also means spirituality and focus.

Blackbirds

In whatever circumstance, blackbirds stand for knowledge and the need for self-introspection. It also represents intuition and calculability in decision-making.

Magpie

This bird in general is a bird of oppositions. A magpie stands for friendship, loyalty, and intelligence but at the same time, it also represents treachery, betrayal, or deception. It also stands for love, joy, and fortune but also duality and bad omens.

Starling

They are very rare and the chance of a starling hitting your window is also rare. It is an important bird in the Viking lore and it represents pride and exclusivity.

Raven

This bird has always been a magical bird conveying significant meanings. It represents change and transformation, mysticism, and natural magic as well as a representation of deep introspection.

Vulture

Again, this is a bird that will rarely hit your window. It has always been associated as a bird of death but it also means a balance of life and demise as well as innovativeness and patience.

Seagull

With their nature of being seen always in a collective, seagulls hitting windows would stand for a collective message from your departed loved ones but it is up to you to decipher what they want to tell you.

Canary

When a canary hits your window, it means that your home is basking with positive energy and encourages talkativeness, cheerfulness, and chattering.

Is it bad luck if a bird flies into your window and dies?

Birds hitting on your window can convey both positive and negative meanings but the meaning is quite conclusive when a bird keeps on pecking on your window, hits the window, and dies or when it enters your home and ends up dead. When a bird flies into your window and dies, it denotes danger, sickness, or even death.

Why do birds fly into windows repeatedly and what does it mean?

This one can denote many things but for two reasons are the most immanent. As a normal occurrence, birds fly into windows repeatedly because, along the sills, there is a steady supply of food to peck on. When your glass window reflects any source of food inside, birds are smart enough to inspect the area for holes that they could use to get through. They are also attracted to light and having a bright home during nighttime encourages birds to fly in.

In a more mystical perspective, birds fly into windows because they serve as omens which can convey many things depending on what birds fly in and of course, how you subjectively assign meaning to these constant flybys. It can be a message from the heavens and a message from your departed loved ones.

Dreams about birds hitting windows and meaning

In the realm of magic and spirituality, dreaming about birds hitting windows is pretty significant and they need to be given attention. Basically, interpreting dreams of birds hitting windows depends on the type of bird we dreamt of and how we behaved after that.

If dreaming about birds hitting windows happens consecutively, it is an indication that an important decision should be made immediately or that a big announcement is coming your way. Most of the time, you already know what it is, but you just keep on denying it or are very anxious about it.

When there is an eagle hitting your window in your dreams, it means that you will be invited or have booked a life-changing trip that will open your perspective about the world and life in general. It could also mean that this trip is a dream come true for you.

If in the dream a bird hits your window and gets injured, you will face a painful experience in the future. If it is a pair of birds hitting your window, you are in a desperate stage to settle down or are hoping for reciprocated feelings from someone. It could also mean that you are in search of a romantic partner or are in despair over troubles in love life or just came from a bad breakup.

If a bird circles around the home or flutters outside the window before hitting it, it signals financial stability or prosperity. There is still an array of meanings for dreaming about birds hitting windows.

Bird hit window still alive

When a bird hits your window and lives, the common response is to take it in and take care of it if it sustains injuries. If it is perfectly fine, you have to just let it go and make the amendments needed for it not to make it in your windows again.

In a more subjective realm, when a bird hits a window and lives, it means that you should open yourself to spiritual guidance and to establish a stronger faith in God. It also means a call for transformation and the need for positive change.

How do you stop birds flying into windows?

You may think that having birds constantly hitting your window is inevitable but there are ways to permanently stop this.

Interior solutions

You need this because the major cause of the collision is reflection. So you need to make sure that whenever birds fly by, the least you can do is to help them see through the reflection properly, and here are some things to do.

Put on blinds and shutters to make the glass windows opaque, hence, eliminating too much reflection.
If you have indoor plants placed along the window sills or are reflected through the window, it may be best to do some repositioning. Not seeing a source of food through the reflection will not make them swarm around your window at all.
To decrease nighttime reflection, pull down the blinds or shutters to eliminate light as they look from the outside.
Light-proof all vision holes that the birds might think they could enter in.

Exterior solutions

To aid the interior solutions, there are some things that must be done outside too, and here are some of them.

Add some suncatchers and decals to decrease reflection from the outside. When it is too sunny, close the decal gaps.
Another exterior amendment would be installing a one-way transparent film in your windows. You can still see everything from the inside but the critters outside cannot peep through your interior.
Installing external shutters or adding lattice designs in the windows is also a good exterior amendment.
Make sure that bird baths and feeders are amply away from the window as much as possible. They can be as far as 15ft away if possible.

Conclusion

If birds hitting windows was just a normal happening for you before, we reckon that your perspective has changed by now. Birds are mythical creatures, and they could convey various meanings. These meanings depend on their behavior before and after hitting the window and the type of bird that is hitting your window.

As an ecological occurrence, you have to do something about it. You can put a halt to that annual-billion-bird-hitting-your-windows phenomenon through easy steps.