Kendra Bainbridge (left) and Eileen Renger (right) are the two Mt. Shasta parents and entrepreneurs who created Window Gems to help save backyard birds.
Saving Backyard Birds With Prismatic Window Gems – Homemade in Mt. Shasta
Every year in this country, more than one billion birds die from colliding with ordinary window glass. These window strikes have a likely instant fatality rate of 50-75 percent. And, although we often see a bird fly away from a crash and tell ourselves it was merely stunned, the severe injury will most probably result in its death.
Two delightful entrepreneurs in Mt. Shasta, CA make and sell prismatic Window Gems, a beautiful and practical way to prevent needless deaths in our extraordinary backyard bird populations.
These two enterprising women, Kendra Bainbridge, the mother of eleven-year-old Elliot and eight-year-old Fern; and Eileen Renger, mother of eleven-year-old Ruben, have been friends since their sons began kindergarten.
Kendra, who holds a BA in biology, owns a popular bird-centric nature store in Mt. Shasta named Raven Tree. Raven Tree’s motto is, “We love wild birds.” This charming storefront makes that sentiment clear.
Vinyl with prismatic, rainbow effects
Eileen is the one both women credit with creating the Window Gems prototype. As she tells it, “The origin story. My son Ruben has one eye that is stronger than the other. Rather than eye-patching, I wanted to cut a piece of vinyl to put on his eyeglass lens. But when the vinyl arrived, it was prismatic and rainbowy and,” she adds, laughing, “magic! Cool vinyl. Not appropriate for an eye patch, though.”
With a degree in architecture and a craftswoman’s sense, Eileen saw another use. “I used a drinking glass to cut circles out and began putting them on the windows.” She found that they stuck to the glass with no adhesive needed. She was pleased to learn that her efforts stopped birds from colliding into her windows and the glass panels in the front door.
Kendra, too, was excited, “I saw it and knew it would be perfect for the bird world.”
A surge in birdwatching as people stay at home
Together, they formed Window Gems. Kendra remembers, “We cut out designs, sold a few in 2019. But as soon as COVID-19 hit, everyone realized they were home and watching birds die on their windows.”
One documented side effect of the pandemic has been a massive surge in bird watching. As we follow Stay Home orders, our worlds have simultaneously shrunk and grown. Many have become enchanted with the natural world just outside our back doors. Whether an urban or rural setting, backyard wildlife exists, and birds, in particular, live full lives just outside of our homes.
Window Gems began to fly out of Kendra and Eileen’s Etsy store. “March and April were crazy,” they say.
More than 700 five-star reviews
Although there is a common belief that decals won’t reduce window strikes unless the entire window is covered, Kendra and Eileen have had a markedly different experience, both firsthand and among their growing client base. Kendra says, “I feel that with the number of Gems we have sold already and the amount of reviews we have, we are saving thousands of birds daily. We have more than 700 five-star reviews. It’s incredible.”
Eileen adds, “We have never yet gotten feedback saying they don’t work. Not even once.”
Practical decals that work and bring joy
Window Gems don’t fade. They stick without adhesive and leave no residue on the glass. They come in a variety of shapes, apply easily and can be moved and reapplied endless times.
“We’ve had these on our windows for years. No residue, movable, with the same ones up for four or five years,” Kendra explains. “We have a lot of repeat customers. They will start with one set and then come back for a lot more.” She adds, “These decals bring a lot of joy to people. They have been put up in nursing homes to bring color inside. When the sun comes through them, they have a prismatic feature that casts rainbows inside the house. So, not only functional but really pretty, too.”
Window Gems will soon begin donating a portion of their profits to Shasta Wildlife Rescue & Rehabilitation. “Susan Thomas has been very helpful, on a personal level, with birds that crash into our windows,” Kendra says. “Because of Raven Tree, I get a lot of requests for referrals.”
In these uncertain times, make a positive difference where you can. Do your part to ensure that your windows and doors aren’t dangerous for birdlife. Put Window Gems at the top of your holiday gift-giving lists! Our feathered friends would thank you if they could.
Posted in: Community, Out & About
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