Gazing balls provide a colorful and attractive addition to garden areas. However, some people believe that the reflective surface of orbs can frighten birds away. Birds in flight see themselves reflected in the glass orb as they land on plants or trees near by, thus deterring them from landing there. While it is true that many ornamental birds are easily frightened by gazing balls, this is only true for a few birds including crows and seagulls. In fact most birds enjoy the colorful addition to their surroundings which provide food and shelter during winter months.