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April 18, 2005
Strange Bird Behaviors
I get questions all the time on what to do about birds that are showing suicidal tendencies. Birds are very territorial and will defend their areas. Recently I had a female Northern Cardinal that insisted on beating herself into a basement window.
The window was right at ground level so she wasn’t mistakenly flying into the window, she was literally throwing herself into it. Why? She saw her reflection in the window and thought it was another bird.
The easiest way to stop this is to cover the window so the bird can no longer see its reflection. Unfortunately, she just moved on to the next window so we had to cover that one as well.
Another way to stop birds from entering areas you want them to stay out of, is to use old cd’s. Hang them from a string so they swing in the breeze. The movement will keep them away. I’ve heard this suggestion given many times to stop woodpeckers from beating on the side of houses.
If you have a bird story, I'd love to hear it. Please feel free to leave a comment. If you have a question, I'll do my best to answer it.
Posted on April 18, 2005 in Bird Corner | Permalink
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Comments
I have a blackbird that makes the rounds in my potted plants. He pecks in the soil, hops onto the deck rail, and preens himself. This behavior continues for quite some time. What is he doing?
Posted by: jo | Jul 17, 2008 8:48:45 AM
I experienced a bird trying to peck at my head or hair. Do you think it was attracted to the oils I wear on my hair? Both times I was on my way to work, walking from the parking lot. I have two jobs and this has happened at both jobs several years a part.
The first time the bird was black in color and the second time the bird was black and white. This is also on two different sides of town. what do you think they were wanting from me? Both locations had a tree, but I was walking away from them towards my job.
Thank you,
Rachel
Posted by: Rachel | Apr 27, 2008 11:44:50 PM
Elaine-
You will need to review the label of your weed preventer, but I can suggest using a granular weed preventer called Preen Vegetable Garden Weed Preventer. Apply it to the area where the birds will be ground feeding and lightly rake it into the top inch or 2 of the soil, then water.
Posted by: Kate Stravinskas | Apr 7, 2008 3:42:35 PM
Would like to know if weed preventive spray under bird feeders hurts the birds that are ground feeders?
Posted by: Elaine DeRouin | Mar 29, 2008 12:31:27 PM
I am having a real problem at my farm house in Mississippi. There is a type of bird that is pecking its way through the siding,pulling the insulation out and making its home in my walls. I have five holes where they are nesting and a dozen places where they have started to peck. They sit on a 4 inch peice of trim to do there pecking. Can you help.
Posted by: William Hill | Feb 10, 2008 6:03:21 PM
The red robin that's been pecking my basement is turning into a big problem. After we put up something against the window in the basement, the bird stopped pecking there and moved on to the living room window. The last two nights my security alarm went off in the middle of the night and I believe it was due to the disturbance of this bird.
Kelly
Posted by: Kelly | Jun 17, 2006 4:35:18 PM
The other day I was walking across one of our job sights.When I noticed a bird,that I thought had a broken wing.But when I got closer it flew away.Anyway every time I would get close to that same area it did the same thing.I finally noticed what I had suspected.It had a nest with four eggs in the middle of our mud and gravel construction site.And that she was only playing hurt to draw us away from her nest.What kind of bird do you think this was.I was working in Charlestown,Ind.
Posted by: N. Pyle | May 23, 2006 6:41:00 AM
Hi: We have had a bird pecking our car
for 10 hrs because it sees it's reflection
in the paint. We covered it once but it
pulls the cover enough to peck. We put
a mirror on the car and it pecked the
mirror instead for several more hours
until dark. How can we stop this activity?
Posted by: Donna | May 21, 2006 10:39:08 PM
My love love birds likes to stands on top my head and do a strange dance. He swoops his tail side to side. Like he's sweeping. He only does this when my hair is curly. On occasions he has done it on top of a tissue. And once on my son's head(he doesn't have curly hair).
Posted by: Marilyn | Apr 2, 2006 11:55:57 PM
Hello Saul,
The bird is seeing its reflection in the window and believes it is another bird. When you peck back at the window you are reinforcing this. I would cover the window(s) for at least a week and hope that the bird moves on or hang an old CD in front of the window to scare it off.
Lori Zimmerman
Lyric Wild Bird Food - Retail Marketing Manager
Posted by: Lori Zimmerman | Feb 20, 2006 8:59:53 AM
It's occuring again I have small beautifuly colored birds that pick on my window i push the curtain aside and they don't fly away right away some times i pick the window and they pick back. the pecking is getting annoying. what could be the cause of their constant pecking ??
Posted by: Saul Montero | Feb 17, 2006 3:46:40 PM
