Anyone ever have a bird constantly attack a window in your house?

[Mulligan]

This is the 7 th day and my patience has ran out. It is an eastern bluebird. He simply wont stop. When I run him off, he retreats to a branch 15 feet away and is perched by a female. I assume he is protecting his turf and proving he is a tough guy in front of his mate by beating up his reflection, but I simply cant stand it anymore as it happens all day. This is one dumb persistent bird. Not only can I not stand the noise he is crapping all over my window and deck. Anybody have any solutions? I am not hanging tarps over my glass doors and window. I don't like to deprive a lady bird of her companion, but if it doesn't stop, I going to purchase a BB gun and nail him, while we taunts me from the branch. He always goes to the same one after I scare him off.

 

[MichaelB]

A couple of removable colorful plastic decals on the window.

 

[Midpack]

A couple of removable colorful plastic decals on the window.

+1, my Mom had the same problem. In her case, the bird kept flying into the glass and knocking itself out. It would lay on the ground in a daze, then stagger to it's feet after a few minutes and fly off. Rinse and repeat until she put up the two [-]god awful[/-] colorful decals...fixed the problem! Nothing special, any colorful stickers should do...

 

[Bestwifeever]

This (it would scare me):

 

[samclem]

We had luck with the stickers--a robin was doing the same thing.
We bought ones that are nearly transparent (to humans) but apparently they are visible to birds (birds see in the higher blue/UV range?). We got them by mail (Duncrafts, here ) , but it sounds like you may not be in a mood to wait.
It's probably a temporary problem, he'll give up once the mating season is over.
Another (hillbilly) answer: Maybe one of those milky translucent plastic bags taped on the outside of the glass.
This could save you a lot of money. Check into the fine for shooting an Eastern Bluebird.

 

[Sarah in SC]

Ditto on the decals. We had friends who also opened the window so their German Shepherd dog could give a few appropriate wooofs! in the right direction.

 

[pb4uski]

Or perhaps some pinwheels that spin near the window until he finds another favorite spot.

Or get a cat?

 

[Bimmerbill]

I had that happen with a mirror on my car. I think its trying to fight or mate with a reflection of itself.

 

[MichaelB]

I had that happen with a mirror on my car. I think its trying to fight or mate with a reflection of itself.

Exactly.

IIRC some stores sell decals that are lighter and less visibly obtrusive on the side facing indoors but very bright facing outwards.

 

[Mulligan]

Thanks for the ideas. Im going to the store today, and will look for some decals. If I don't find them, I will try "hillbillyizing" the house and tape light colored trash bags over the windows for a couple days. If I can get a cheap owl, may get that too. I have read usually some dumb bird will accidentally land on it and neutralize its effect. So help me if he moves down to the other end of the house attacking those windows the war will be escalated.

 

[audreyh1]

Yes, all you need to do is remove/mask the reflection.

 

[Nords]

We bought ones that are nearly transparent (to humans) but apparently they are visible to birds (birds see in the higher blue/UV range?). We got them by mail (Duncrafts, here ) , but it sounds like you may not be in a mood to wait.

We've had those for five years, and their success may depend on the bird's IQ level. The stickers had no apparent beneficial effect on our local zebra dove population. In fact I swear that some of those birdbrains said "Look, a maple leaf in Hawaii! C'mon, guys, let's check it out!!"

**BLAM!!** Instant bird print on our window. Sometimes right on top of the leaf sticker.

Eventually our local UV radiation did its thing to those stickers, and we had to peel them off the window one tiny strip at a time with a plastic putty knife.

 

[Mulligan]

We've had those for five years, and their success may depend on the bird's IQ level. The stickers had no apparent beneficial effect on our local zebra dove population. In fact I swear that some of those birdbrains said "Look, a maple leaf in Hawaii! C'mon, guys, let's check it out!!"

**BLAM!!** Instant bird print on our window. Sometimes right on top of the leaf sticker.

Eventually our local UV radiation did its thing to those stickers, and we had to peel them off the window one tiny strip at a time with a plastic putty knife.

I have had a few of those a couple times of year, and the unexpected noise will scare the crap out of me. Bird shakes his head gathers his thoughts and never returns again. But this one knows the window is there and is in attack mode on his refection. Its been raining for a few hours so I have gotten a reprieve for a bit.

 

[donheff]

Another (hillbilly) answer:

Made me think of the old joke- A redneck's last words: "hey, watch this."

 

[samclem]

**BLAM!!** Instant bird print on our window. Sometimes right on top of the leaf sticker.

""What the hell happened?" asked a seagull. "I was flying across a meadow when all of a sudden the air crystallized on me," said the goldfinch. The sea gull and a hawk and an eagle all laughed heartily."

James Thurber, Fables for Our Times #6

A Dazy Log Was Brossing A Cridge: Fables For Our Times # 6

I can't hear one of those bird "BLAM"s without thinking of that classic Thurber fable. One among many.

​

 

[MissMolly]

Please be aware that killing most birds is illegal under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act of 1918. Please, please find another way of dealing with this problem (which is only temporary). Once the bird no longer has a reason to defend its territory, it will stop. Eastern Bluebirds are beautiful. Please find a way to distract/deter him and do not take his life for only doing what comes natural to him.

 

[pb4uski]

Please be aware that killing most birds is illegal .....

Only if you get caught.

 

[Mulligan]

Please be aware that killing most birds is illegal under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act of 1918. Please, please find another way of dealing with this problem (which is only temporary). Once the bird no longer has a reason to defend its territory, it will stop. Eastern Bluebirds are beautiful. Please find a way to distract/deter him and do not take his life for only doing what comes natural to him.

It rained all afternoon, and he didnt return, so maybe his memory is as small as his brain and he wont return. I have several options I will patiently use. That is why I didn't ask my 83 year old neighbor for advise, as his answer always involves shooting and not with a BB gun either.

 

[pb4uski]

.....That is why I didn't ask my 83 year old neighbor for advise, as his answer always involves shooting and not with a BB gun either.

I like that neighbor already. With age comes wisdom - blast the varmint!!

 

[Mulligan]

I like that neighbor already. With age comes wisdom - blast the varmint!!

The man is a hoot! Last summer I was having mole problems in the yard and he said catch them digging a new trail then jam a shovel in the tunnel and before he can dig away, blast him with a shotgun. Said it worked for him. Keeps 2 loaded pistols by his nightstand. Ive lived in my neighborhood for almost 10 years and the closest to an invasion we have had in this neighborhood is this bird.

 

[RunningBum]

This (it would scare me):

I got one of those owls to try to keep the turkey vultures off my deck. I used a clamp to mount it to my deck rail. I also got this to hang in front of the windows: Amazon.com: In the Breeze Eagle Twister: Patio, Lawn & Garden

So far they are working pretty well, but I have had a couple of visits. But as a bonus, it seems like the occasional bird that used to fly into my window has stopped. Or maybe it stopped last year when I put 3M window tinting on, to reduce the glare and heat of the sun. It probably also reduced the reflectiveness and no longer looks like the sky and another bird.

The one problem with the eagle twister is the hard plastic ball at the bottom, which I'm sure is needed as a weight. It bangs against the window in a heavy wind. I taped a finger of an old ski glove on it to dampen the noise.

I've also heard of netting as a solution. The birds either see the netting and don't fly in, and/or you pull it tight and a bit away from the window and they hit that softly and bounce out.

 

[Nords]

... and/or you pull it tight and a bit away from the window and they hit that softly and bounce out.

For hours of home entertainment!

 

[SarahW]

We have a woodpecker who is in love with our metal gutters. DAH. Nothing like the sound of a machine-gun outside the bedroom on a bright morning. You'd think the little imbecile would have figured it out by now.

 

[audreyh1]

Actually, woodpeckers like to make noise by hammering their bills. It's called drumming. The little imbecile has figured out that your metal gutters make an excellent resonating instrument! He can give a shout-out to all the lads and ladies in the neighborhood!