Tuesday, December 2, 2008

Please Help!

We have a visitor. He comes every day. See him hanging from the window? Some of our windows are tinted so that the Florida sun won't run up our air conditioning bills, and this makes them a bit reflective. This bird thinks he has a friend, or maybe he thinks it's an enemy; I don't know. But he spends his life--day after day--rat-tat-tatting on my window pane! This has been going on for MONTHS!

I think that his ancestor is the bird who inspired Poe's The Raven. Like that bird, I wish he'd say, "Nevermore."


He's taking a bit of a break here. If you look down, you'll see him sitting on the window sill. He's a real problem. Not only is he noisy--I swear, sometimes it sounds like someone knocking on the front door!--but he's also messy. You know what birds leave behind (from their behinds!).


In addition to the home's tinted windows, the bird likes to rat-tat-tat on our car rear view mirror. His beak should be pretty sore by now, but he keeps coming back for more! Anybody in Blogland have any ideas how we can eliminate this problem? Please help.

BTW: I'm having TWO book giveaways. See my sidebar.

29 comments:

Dawn said...

I have no advice just sympathy. I think it would drive me crazy!! Not to mention the cleaning up...YUCK!!

I hope he finds another past time for your sanity's sake!

take care,
Dawn

squawmama said...

Oh no Sally.... I have no clue what to do about him.... We once had a cardinal who did that to a widow in Tassie... on our mirrors we put covers on but on the window we could do nothing... Lucky for us we can move Tassie but you cannot move your home...LOL LOL I know just how annoying it can be... maybe cover up the widow temporarily and he'll go away... Have a good one...

(((HUGS)))
Donna

Anonymous said...

Now that would be annoying. I wouldn't know what to do either. But, I hope someone will be able to help you.

Hugs,
Chris

Libby's Library said...

No Idea Whatsoever! My daughter had a cardinal in her back yard, that flew into her windows all day long. The little bugger started at it, as soon as she opened her blinds, in the morning and didn't stop until she closed them each evening. This went on for 2 years!

Anonymous said...

Hi Sally, no advice, I am stumped. I think he sees his reflection in the window. lol.


Did you receive my info for the book I won? I haven't heard anything about it. I hope my E-mail went through. Let me know Sally. Thanks.

You will be in today's drawing. good luck.

Hugs...Jeanne

Anonymous said...

Wow, how frustrating that would be. I sure don't have any ideas. I'm wondering if there is something you could sprinkle on the windowsills that's not harmful but that birds don't like? I have no idea what, though. Maybe a call to a pet store or animal control would help?

Susan said...

Hey Sally,

I'm no bird expert, but I know one! I'll contact her and have her look at your blog. Hopefully she can help you out :)

Good Luck!

Baba said...

Hi Sally, I have seen birds come to my Niece's house and do this, but I have no idea on how to fix it..What a mess the bird's poop can make!!
Have a good day.. hugs, Baba

Needled Mom said...

We had a bird that did the same thing for MONTHS!!!! It was so frustrating. Would an owl figurine help? That's what someone suggested to us.

Ruthie said...

For those woodpeckers that peck on your house, they recommend putting up an owl (apparently their predator). Also, a very large windsock to shoo them away. Don't know if it would work on this bird or not. I guess I'd check on the internet and see if any sites about that. What an annoyance.

What happened to the list of those who posted Blue Monday yesterday??? I didn't have a chance to check their posts - and went to your site today and there is no listing?! Is it my computer or what?

Happy Tuesday to you.
Smiles. Ruthie

Bridget said...

I remember how the birds would fly into the windows in FL all of the time. I would try some kind of a curtain or blind that might reduce the exterior refectivity on the window so that the bird won't see itself. Don't know if that will really work but that is what I'd try.

Linda said...

Perhaps the Natural Resource Department with your State could provide assistance. Or, if there is a bird sanctuary in your area you may call them. If that doesn't work you may borrow my shotgun!!!

Killlashandra said...

Now that is interesting. I've heard of birds pecking at windows before but never that consistently. Eventually they move on. Maybe it has something to do with the habits of that particular species of bird.

nikkicrumpet said...

Ummm I read once in a magazine that if you took old cd's and hung them from fishing line so that the move and spin in the wind...that it would scare the birds away. If you have any old cd's that are crappy anyway...it would be worth a try. Hope someone comes up with the perfect solution!

Anonymous said...

Boy that would really be annoying. Our biggest bird problem is the pigeons that live on our roof in every little cranny they can find. They are big and they leave a lot of that crappy stuff behind. At least they don't peck on the windows. Guess we should be glad of that. I have no idea how to get rid of either one of these problems.
BTW I've noticed that Mr. Linky's links have been coming and going on Spiritual Sundays. I don't see the links on your blog. Do you know what's going on?

sara said...

we had a prob with this once when I was growing up. My mom hung long strips of foil in the window. It seemed to work, maybe as the foil moved it sparkled and scared the bird off?

Dorothy Borders said...

Sally,
Susan B. Evans asked me to look at your blog and see if I could tell what your bird is. It's really hard to see any field marks in these photos, but if those outer tail feathers are white - as they appear to be - and the rest of the bird is gray - as it appears to be - then your bird is most likely a Northern Mockingbird. It's called "Northern," even though its primary range is in the South, because there are other similar mockingbirds that are native to South America. It is referred to as the "Nightingale of the South" because of its melodious songs and the fact that it sometimes sings at night, like the Nightingale. They are highly territorial birds and will not hesitate to attack another mockingbird intruding on their space - and that includes their own reflection in a window or car mirror. And that is probably more information than you wanted!

To discourage him, the suggestion about hanging foil or mylar strips in front of the window is a good one. Shiny things waving in the breeze tend to frighten birds. I hope this helps.

Sara said...

Having lived in Florida as long as I did - I was going to say he is a mockingbird! So, I'm glad Bridwoman confirmed that. I'd be hanging some stuff to scare him away.

Besides he could hurt himself!

Anonymous said...

Well I think he's just darling and wants to be friendly. Try talking to him :>) You just never know maybe he is someone who once knew you in a previous life. LOL I hope you are having a lovely day

bj said...

oh, my...i have no ideas at all to help you with your bird problem...amazing..i wonder what he is actually doing? Birds usually spend all their time eating...guess this one isn't hungry..just hyper!! :O)
love, bj

Darlene said...

I have no help for you at all but the bird is so cute! That is really funny that it comes back day after day. Hope some of the suggestions help you.

I LOVE your new header!!

Darlene said...

I have no help for you at all but the bird is so cute! That is really funny that it comes back day after day. Hope some of the suggestions help you.

I LOVE your new header!!

Lorrie said...

Hi Sally, I sympathize with your problem. We had a cardinal that did this to our house during nesting season. At first it was just a single window, but eventually he was attacking all the windows on the first floor! I think that Birdwoman's advice is good. Hope you have some luck discouraging him!

Alexandra MacVean said...

hee hee Sorry to hear about your bird problems. I wish I knew what to do. But, you're right...doesn't his beak hurt by now? =O

=)

imjacobsmom said...

I see that someone beat me to the punch, I was going to suggest something shiny like CD;s or foil. We had a robin that used to do that a long time ago and I think that my Dad used foil and owl eyes. Now we get pestered with a woodpecker now and then and we haul out the owl statue. Which works - BTW. ~ Robyn

Anonymous said...

How funny, Salliness! That bird must adore himself! Maybe you could throw out a ball of aluminium foil and he'd peck the hound out of it instead of your window.
Be a sweetie,
shelia ;)

The Quintessential Magpie said...

Sally, that's a good question! I have had them fly into my window and almost knock themselves out, but this I've not experienced! Wish I could help, but I'm out of my league on this. Odd since I'm a magpie. ;-)

Thanks for visiting me today. I really appreciate it! I also had fun on Blue Monday and have a post ready for next week!

XO,

Sheila :-)

Katie said...

I have to chuckle, in my case I'd go out and build him a house, feed him.......hee hee, sorry, I LOVE birds. However, I can certainly see how that could be annoying w/the noise and all.

The CD idea is a good one but I would not do it using fishing wire. If the flew into that it can tangle around his legs. I once put out Christmas treats so popular in the women's magazines, where you string cereal pieces, nuts, popcorn, etc. in thread. A poor little sparrow got tangled in the thread, I was able to free him luckily and no permanent damage to his little leg.

Movement and lights, that will scare most birds. He sounds pretty brave though. Maybe string a length of THICK rope or something he cannot tangle on across the top width of your window, from that hang long shiny strips. Best of luck, if you can catch him I'll come right over and bring him home to live w/us!

Cathy said...

That is terrible, Sally. He must be lonely! I had one pecking on my basement window for awhile, and I wondered if a bird had gotten in the basement or something. Sorry I don't know a solution for you.