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Special glass 'stops birds crashing into windows'

The image shows "what you see vs what you do not see" side by side image showing what a window looks like from the human eye (left) and what it looks like from a bird's point of view (right). The image is of a window from the inside of a building. There is a three seater red chair in front of the window. Outside the window, there is a tree, grass and buildings.BIRDSHADES

Birds can detect the film on windows but are not scared by it

Around 100 million birds crash into windows every year in the UK, according to the British Trust for Ornithology.

And it can be pretty frightening when you see it happen, and very dangerous for the birds too.

Now one nature reserve is trying something different to stop it from happening, by putting a special film on their windows.

The technology uses UV active film, which makes the glass much more visible to birds, but still see-though for humans.

Why do birds crash into windows?

Blue tits and great tits feeding on peanuts that have been put out in a hanging feeder to help birds over the winter. A long-tailed tit is feeding on fat balls behind. Trudie Davidson/Getty

According to the Wildfowl & Wetlands Trust, birds don't see windows in the same way we do, as they don't understand reflections.

So if a bird sees a reflection of a tree in a window, they'll think its an actual tree and could fly into the window and injure themselves.

However, birds do have very clever eyes and can see ultra violet light (UV) - unlike humans.

By putting UV film on windows, it's a win-win for humans and birds.

The film appears solid to birds so they know to avoid it whilst flying by, meanwhile humans can't see it so we can carry on looking out the window and enjoying the view!

An image of the trust showing a lake with wooden "lily pads" connecting both sides. There is a man and a woman and two children walking across the lily pads. On the lake there is also a swan. Behind the lake, there are multiple benches and umbrella, with the restaurant behind. WWT

The specialist film helps tackle a major issue around bird conservation

The Wildfowl & Wetlands Trust in Gloucestershire has been using the protective film to cover the floor to ceiling windows in the Slimbridge Garden Estuary Restaurant.

This way, people can enjoy birdwatching over the estuary where thousands of wetland birds stop over.

Anna Cork, from WWT Slimbridge, says they are "proud" to be taking "meaningful action" to protect their feathered friends.