Garden

[maisiebrook]

The bird knocking started recently.  A female cardinal sitting on a bush would fly up to the window and hit it hard making a loud sound.  Repeatedly.  We taped a black outline of a hawk (advice from internet).  The knocking stopped.  

We went away for a few days.  Prior to leaving I removed the black outline because I figured it was safe to do so .  We returned on Sunday and this morning around 6:30 the knocking resumed.  It was constant until we put the black hawk up on the window.  Then around dinner time I heard knocking at my side door (glass pane} entrance.  Looking out I saw a male and female cardinal.  I understand from reading on the web that male birds do this as a way of  establishing and defending territories. The male sees his reflection in the window and thinks it is a rival trying to usurp his territory. He flies at the window to try and make the rival leave.

Anyone else experience this?  

[AuntMame]

We've had a similar situation with a male cardinal. My cat likes to sit at the patio door and look out. There's a cardinal who comes to the door, peers at him, struts around and flutters his wings in a territorial fashion. I put a trailcam at the patio door and was astonished to see that the bird struts within inches of the door and my cat. Can't tell if he's pecking at the door. I'm told it's a male cardinal territorial thing. 

[Biftu]

The other day I heard a big bang at my door.  Thinking it was someone knocking, I opened the door to find two dead robins on my porch.  They must have seen their reflection and bashed  into the storm door.  Made me queasy and I just couldn't remove them.  Had to ask my neighbor to do it.  She laughed at me for not being able to remove them.  I couldn't even watch.

[jlkz]

@maisiebrook @AuntMame 

This usually happens during the breeding season and as stated in a few posts it is behavior to protect one's territory.

In FL we had a large woodpecker totally tear to shreds our screen on one very large window.  The sound was similar to someone breaking up concrete.  The noise started at 7 AM and lasted until the sun stopped reflecting on that window.

Back at home this week, we have had a sparrow knock into several windows all day long.....noise was at a lower volume.  Its fluttering and knocking was muted but still annoying.  It couldn't be his reflection because on one side there was no sun.  We are into Day 6.  This one may be a slow learner, vision-impaired or a birdbrain.

[ECBG]

We have the same thing with our car side mirrors.  They think they see another bird.

[We rescue cats]

@Biftu My office window is a large picture window facing the backyard, it reflects the trees, clouds, and mountains so we had a lot of bird strikes. Some were not fatal but some were, I know what you mean, it broke my heart to remove the birds. I tried the decals, blinds, sheers....finally I found the Audubon bird strike kit, it is strips of frosted tape about 3/4 inch wide that we put on the window, it shows up best in the photo below. I don't find it distracting and the bird strikes have stopped. (FYI-that's an air plant hanging in the window, not a giant spider!)

[sugarbee]

@We rescue catsWhat beautiful sweet cats.  How many do you have?  Are you a foster Mom or like me, have to have more than one?

[LindaSal]

We had this experience when we lived out in the woods.   Ironically it happened right after my mom passed away so I , being a tad superstitious thought she was angry with me and was totally freaked out.   Not even kidding........a male cardinal did the exact same thing, he was constantly pecking on the window in the kitchen and the weirdest thing was he literally followed me at times from room to room.  We read about the reflection thing but I don't understand why he seemed to follow me around the house. 

 This went on for quite sometime until finally he disappeared.  I really think there was something wrong with him as his feathers were kind of ruffled and he was pooping everywhere.  What a mess my windows and outside sills were after that.  Hope it never happens to us again, it was traumatic!!

@maisiebrook 

[snipsnapsnur]

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@ECBG wrote:

We have the same thing with our car side mirrors.  They think they see another bird.

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We have the same thing even when the mirrors are turn in and up! Except ours poops down the car door where it sits pecking at the side mirror.  Sooooo infuriating!

[We rescue cats]

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@sugarbee wrote:

@We rescue catsWhat beautiful sweet cats.  How many do you have?  Are you a foster Mom or like me, have to have more than one?

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@sugarbee A combination of the two, have to have more than one and decided to volunteer with a non-profit spay and neuter group where I met many rescuers who are astute at picking up on a soft touch when they meet one. We had 3 Maine Coon cats and when asked to help a stray our journey began. We now have 13 cats, failed fosters who did not find a home so we took them in. I simply cannot think of a kitty that no one wants....so we will love them for the rest of their days. We have 3 that just showed up at our house last year, I'm sure they were dumped by their previous owner, since they were all spayed and neutered, in good shape and were definitely house cats.