Yesterday I had a crazy robin spend nearly the entire day flying at the window. He wasn't attacking himself. He just appeared to want to go through the window, or expected to be somewhere else. After I took the video I put the screen in (I remove it in the winter to hang a bird feeder). I hoped to get rid of any reflection he may be reacting to and to cushion his impact. Did it slow him down at all? Nope. He had the bonus of landing on the screen to peer in.
He continued this until noontime, at which point I opened the window (because warmth! sun! finally!). But as soon as I closed it later in the afternoon, he returned and went through the whole process until after 5pm.
He's not back today, but it's pouring rain. We'll see what happens tomorrow....
Do you think he might be seeing something inside your house? Maybe he's focused on a glimmer or a plant or something and not even thinking about the window until he bumps into it? One year a male cardinal used to throw himself at my bedroom window so hard I couldn't at first believe it was a bird doing it - sounded like a brick hitting the side of the house. Over and over. I never did figure out why he wouldn't stop, but nothing I came up with made him give up.
I work at Massachusetts Audubon. He is seeing his reflection in the window, mistaking it for a rival, and attacking it. You can purchase window decals to prevent this behavior. Birds don’t see windows.
I enjoy reading your comments and I strive to reply by email (if you're not set to no-reply). **************************************************************************
I wonder why birds continue to fly into shut windows? One would think that the impact after a couple of times would be enough and they would fly away.
ReplyDeleteDo you think he might be seeing something inside your house? Maybe he's focused on a glimmer or a plant or something and not even thinking about the window until he bumps into it?
ReplyDeleteOne year a male cardinal used to throw himself at my bedroom window so hard I couldn't at first believe it was a bird doing it - sounded like a brick hitting the side of the house. Over and over. I never did figure out why he wouldn't stop, but nothing I came up with made him give up.
I work at Massachusetts Audubon. He is seeing his reflection in the window, mistaking it for a rival, and attacking it. You can purchase window decals to prevent this behavior. Birds don’t see windows.
ReplyDelete