This is going to sound crazy, but there is this cardinal that lives in our yard that is driving me BATTY!!! He has been pecking at our front windows for about 7 months now. I thought it would go away on its own, but it hasn't. I'm home a lot during the day and the constant peck-peck-peck is insane!
It's not just one window, it's every window on the front of our house. If I block up one, he'll move on to another. I can't block up EVERY window! We have dogs in the yard, but he isn't bothered by them one bit. It's not something he sees inside either, since each window is a different room/view. My only guess is that he sees his reflection.
Has anyone encountered something like this? Any ideas to get this bird to back off? He (and his lady bird, plus another pair) have been in our yard as long as we have. The lady cardinal did this last year for about 3 months but then stopped. This guy won't let it go!
Yep, male Cardinals do this frequently! I have have seen one go bonkers over the side mirror of my van. They are just not fast learners!
Have you read any of David Sedaris's books? He had a bird do that to him, too. He put album covers with people's faces in the windows to keep the bird away. Most people don't have records laying around these days, but I bet just big pictures would work (8x10). Use a xerox machine and enlarge pictures of faces. Good luck!
Here's the story about the birds in article form, if you want to read it. He's really funny.
http://www.newyorker.com/reporting/2007/01/29/070129fa_fa...
This is very common with plenty of bird species. He is a male and he sees his reflection and thinks it is another male. He is trying to chase it off his territory. You need to mark your windows with a bar of soap (put a big x or swirl or something) or you can buy window decals. He will stop doing this eventually...it's a spring behavior.
There may be stickers of predator birds that you could put on your window, or something like that.
You could try hanging an old CD or DVD in the windows. Birds don't usually like them and fly off. At least that is what Japanese people do to keep the birds off their balconies. I have a cat who spends most of the time sitting (sometimes ready to pounce) in our window, so we don't really have a bird problem on our balcony. I am currently living in Japan. Good luck!
We had a similar situation. A little male sparrow took to fighting/trying to mate his reflection on our garage window. I couldn't find a way to stop him without making the reflection go away. Eventually the seasons changed and he took his leave.
Wish I could be more helpful!
Yep, I have seen that several times. He's fighting himself I guess LOL
As others have said, it is a territorial thing... he sees himself in the window (his reflection) and is trying to fight off the other bird. He is trying to protect his territory.
Sometimes silhouettes of predator birds (owls, hawks, etc) help..... you can sometimes get stickers like that to stick on the window. Or, print a picture of a couple of big predator birds and tape them to the inside of the window. Try it on a couple of windows and see if it helps keep him away from those windows.
Someone suggested a cat picture? Heck, the mockingbirds CHASE our cats... they will go after them in the spring.. I'm afraid it will bring the cardinal to the window even more, if you put a cat picture in the window.
We have had a crazy robin do this during the last two years. Where he gets stuck the most? Our mirror-like silver chimney pipe! In spring, sit next to that window and be prepared to hear taptaptaptaptapataptap!!!!!Once I realized that it was just a silly bird, it was actually sort of fun.
I just had to thank you for the laugh! The title alone had me giggling! We have a cardinal family that comes back every year to mate and have babies in our tree by our window. I love seeing them come back each year :)
We had that same thing happen!! We thought since we had our house built, that maybe we took away his tree. Then, I thought he sees his reflection and is fighting it off because the female was always close by. She sat on the fence and watched. We named him Red and just went with it. He did stop after about 6 months. Just name him and enjoy the bird. He will go away at some point.
Your windows are too clean :) LOL! No, really. The reflective energy coating on them is, indeed, showing that cardinal his reflection. Cardinals are very aggressive birds and will attack other males an sometimes, even females. Mockingbirds will also do this.
Did you try praying about it?
http://www.wild-bird-watching.com/Cardinals-Windows.html
I found this article. It might be helpful. :-)
