Cardinal Sin
November 25, 2007 on 8:38 am | In Oddball, Pests |
Someone help me, please. I’ve got a minor problem.
For about four years now, a male cardinal (hard to tell if it’s the same one) lights in a lilac bush near a first floor window of my house. Then the dopey bird looks over at the window and dive bombs it repeatedly.
Happens once a month or more. No kidding. He flies 3 or 4 feet and crashes right into one of the panes. He does this 15-20 times before giving up and going — where? — to another house and doing the same thing?
He started out a few years ago crashing into a garage window facing south. Recently he has settled on a living room window facing west (see photo above). A deranged bird with a death wish? It had occurred to me and my son that perhaps the cardinal could see his reflection in the window and assumed it was an intruder, and so attacked (repeatedly and unsuccessfully).
Anyone ever heard of this before? Short of covering up my beautiful Pella windows, what can I do? Will repeated smackings damage the window or hurt the bird?
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A few months ago I heard a loud Thwock. Startled the dog and got me off the couch to check on what made the noise. I looked out on the deck. A male cardinal was on the deck, it looked to me like it was as dead as the proverbial doornail. I wish I knew what the deal was, and is with your bird. I haven’t a clue. Maybe it’s the polar opposite of the myth of Narcissus. Remember him? He’s the guy who saw his reflection in the pond and loved it to death. Perhaps Cardinals are like us aging Boomers, loathing the reflection we occasionaly glimpse in the glass.
Comment by Terrence McCarthy — November 25, 2007 #
Yes, it is territorial (the reflection represents another male to the attacking bird) and not limited to cardinals. I had a yellow billed hornbill do this to my window in southern Africa.
Cornell labs has lots of suggestions, mostly to keep birds from thinking they can fly through your window but also applicable to this situation.
http://www.birds.cornell.edu/AllAboutBirds/attracting/challenges/window_collisions
Comment by Tim Abbott — November 25, 2007 #
Tim,
Thanks for the tip. There are some good suggestions there.
Comment by Terry — November 26, 2007 #
You’ve already discovered Cornell so I’m sure you’ll see all the tips you need to deter the birds - one popular one is decals in the shape of hawks. (If my hubby were still allowed to post here I’m sure he’d tell you the same and more
Comment by Jenny — November 26, 2007 #
I work in a large retail store, and today we had a bird in the store; I think it was a sparrow. One of my co-workers was charged with capturing the bird and taking it outside. Unfortunately, in the poor bird’s haste to get out and avoid my net-wielding co-worker, it crashed into the glass door, killing itself. I just hope the same fate doesn’t befall your cardinal.
Comment by Amy — November 28, 2007 #