This is a crazy question that I can't imagine there is a simple solution to, but I thought I'd ask. My 5 year old daughter has a tree outside her window that every spring attracts the birds to chirp at night and in the morning. She has always been a good sleeper on a good routine, but this past week she has a hard time going to sleep because of the bird and then wakes up super early and comes crying into my room. I think the crying scared the bird off this morning because it seemed to stop and she went back to sleep, but I didn't! We're going on four days in a row of less than 5 hours of sleep for me because of this bird. I try knocking on the window to get it to fly away, but last night my knocking woke my other daughter up and the bird didn't move. Short of moving her to sleep somewhere else (which would cause other problems) or cutting down the tree (Japanese Maple - beautiful!), I'm not sure what else to do.
Try a fan or window fan in the bedroom, it might drown out the bird...don't buy one that is suoer quiet or known to be a quiet fan...that's what we have in all out rooms, even in the winter we have them running (faced away from the kids). It is just added white noise to drown out any other sounds in the house!
My son has a sound machine that he uses at night and at naptime to sleep more soundly. You can get them at Target for about $20 - $30 and can choose between white noise, crickets chirping, waves crashing, etc. Works great for us. Good luck.
I agree with the people who said to get a fake bird of prey and put it in the tree. Most hardware/gardening supply centers sell fake owls just for the purpose of scaring off birds/animals who might raid your garden. I've even seen them at Walmart. Definitely worth a try!
The birds are so loud right outside our window, that no white noise machine (unless it was cranked to annoying, which would defeat the purpose) or fan (we have a noisy one) would cover it up (and yes, the windows are closed). Luckily for us, they quit their noise after only a couple of weeks this spring. Good luck!
oh, boy.. if it were me I think I'd pull out the pellet gun.. I'm sure that is not PETA approved.. but Mothers with a lack of sleep will do the craziest things.. How about a fan or white noise machine in her room to drown out the bird? I can't stand the chirping once spring comes around either.. usually as the weather gets warmer and the windows are closed and the a/c is on, it drowns out the feathered little beasts.
Good LUCK!
Have you tried a sound machine in her room? You can find them pretty inexpensively and you can actually turn the "white noise" up pretty loud. I also hate being awoken by birds, but it's probably easier to change your daughter's environment than the bird's!
We have three of these noise machines in our house - one in each bedroom. They really work, and my kids have been using them since infancy. You could also try a set of wind chimes in the tree - maybe the bird would choose another roost. Good luck!
Before you buy a white noise machine (which is a great idea), if you have a fan - I would try that in her room. This time of year you won't mind the breeze it creates, and it will give you the same effect as the white noise machine. If that works, you might want the white noise machine for colder months - but I imagine the bird is only a problem in warm weather months?
Also - I personally suffer the same problem with a bird. But I have found that after about 3 days of being awoken by the noise, my brain adjusts to realize that it doesn't need to wake up for the bird sound. Your daughter may adjust as well.
Put up a fake owl in a branch of the tree and the birds will go away.
-S.
We had a Catbird that was attacking our window each morning at 5:00 a.m. because it saw it's reflection! We finally put a drape over the window (hokey but it worked)..... I wonder if there is some sort of a decoy (check on-line) that would scare the birds away. Good-luck.
I know this seems radical, but could you and hubby move into that room and the girls into your room?
Close the window! Put a fan in her room instead. Works like a charm for me. I cannot stand when the damn birds wake me up at 4:am so I close the window and turn on a fan. The fan masks the noise and keeps my room from getting too hot. My son does not have issues with noises outside his room but the fan helps him sleep better! Give it a try.
Hi,
I have a daughter who is a very light sleeper. Although we don't have a "bird" issue, pretty much any noise will wake her up. We keep a small fan going in her room to drown out any sounds. The white noise has worked beautifully. If possible, put the fan by the window (the source of the noise). Good luck!
-C.
Hi Kelli,
Call the state audubon society and find out what kind of bird it is and if there is any way to get it to move away.
If you find out the type of bird look it up with your daughter and learn about the bird and maybe your daughter will appreciate the bird song and it wouldn't scare her.
Might be worth a try.
B.
To remove noisy birds set up a bird trap or buy one. or put up sharp spikes so wen the bird come to desturb it will get a hurtful suprise. then sometime when birds come to your window an desturb is because some one put a spell off on your house or it may be a sign of someone trying to do sneaky harm to your family so put a silver cross up to your window and front an back door an put holy water or holy oil on your window
Shoot the bird ! No , I don't mean that ! Try a white noise machine. Radio Shack (and many other places)sell them for about $30.00. They are worth their weight in gold ! Good luck. L.
Turn a fan on or some other type of white noise to block it out.
We have that same problem (almost) at our house. In my childrens room we use a fan. Just a small window fan that when not warm enough we just put on the desk. The whirring of the fan soothes the kids and keeps the noise of the birds out. Which helps me sleep as well. Just an idea that works for us.
Hi Kelli,
Those birds can be quite noisy and irritating. The white noise machine is a good idea if you get enough volume. If the bird is right outside the window then it probably won't be enough. Same thing with the fan, anyway some kids don't appreciate a draft. And of course, you should not cut down the tree.
I agree with the responder who suggested the Audubon Society. They will be very helpful. Perhaps putting a replica of a predatory bird, a hawk etc. in the tree will dissuade the song bird. The Audubon Society also offers numerous educational programs for families which are great fun. They are available all over the state. We just took the Beavers at Dusk walk last night at the Ipswich River Sanctuary in Topsfield and we had a great time! Good Luck
J. L.
We have lots of trees around our son's bedroom window and between the dogs, the birds, turkeys trotting in at 5am--I finally gave my 2yr old what I use to go to sleep--a nightstand fan which is pretty loud but soothing and blocks out even the dogs barking down the hall...hope this helps!
We use white noise in our girls rooms. We always have. I use a box fan year round. I use a thin small blanket to cover it in the winter and I take it off come spring.
This is a calming noise and it blocks out traffic, birds, neighbors and even us if we wake up before them.
turn it around!!!! make the tree a magic tree and the bird a special friend.... the bird may have a nest, have her look for it, dream of baby birds, have her become the protector of the tree!!!
you have an amazing opportunity here to teach about nature and life and noises and sounds that animals make when they are happy, sad etc.... i could go on and on
DONT cut the tree down, DONT scare the bird away... what are you teaching her? if something is irritating or scary tear it down?
wow, i wish my little one had a Japanese Maple outside his window
best
i
Hi Kelli,
I had the same problem.. but the bird was keeping me awake:) My husband and I were going crazy trying to deal with that stupid bird! But, we lived in a condo at the time and there was no way that we could move our bedroom or cut down the tree... so we bought a white noise machine! You can get them at Radio Shack or specialty stores like Brookstone. The first one we purchased was around $30 dollars and had several settings- rain, train, ocean, a 'static' sort of noise and (can you believe this one!?!) a BIRD setting. Good grief I have no idea who in their right mind would want to hear bird chirping while trying to sleep.. but, its there. Anyway, we got a new one this year from a specialty store that has just two settings but its a 'cleaner' noise, if that makes sense. With the noise of the machine - which is not loud - but does have a volume control- it completely blocked the noise of the bird and any other noises in the house. We've actually used one now for about 6 years- we can't give it up! It's worked out nicely because we have such different schedules- so he goes to bed early and I'm up.. usually doing dishes and cleaning up around the house.. and its blocked all of that noise. So, its takes a few nights to get used to but we LOVE it and its totally worth it.
Good luck! I'd love to hear what ends up working out for you.
Take care,
L.
