Defective Robin

fcat700

Member
In the 19 years we’ve lived in our house this has never happened. We have a Robin that’s been flying up against our picture window for the past three weeks and now it’s hitting the basement windows as well. I’m sure it’s seeing its reflection and is either trying to mate with it or chase it away but either way it’s making a huge mess. We left the shades closed and hung a wind chime and it continues the insanity. Any idea of what I can do get ride of this thing?
 

Grant Hoar

New member
I am glad he is at your house this year, not mine. I was wondering where he went to, we have had one at our house for the last three years that does that. Turning up the stereo in the house is the only thing that works (not really, you just don't hear him hitting the window anymore)
 

nytro_rtx

Active member
Good question, I just pulled my enclosed trailer out of storage and I have a bird doing the same thing to the polished alum. thats in the front and the sides. They sure made a mess out of it.
 

t_man

New member
We had success in the past with hanging a volleyball net in front of the windows for a month or two. The bird(s) would occasionally still fly into the net but wouldn't get hurt and we wouldn't have to hear the crash. Good luck.
 

jonesin

Well-known member
we had a cardinal doing that a couple of years ago, went on for weeks, at first light in the morning it would perch on the window ledge an peck the window!
the wife drew a picture of a big owl and put it in our bedroom window, didn't help.
she taped bags to the outside of the window, didn't help.
i tried going out with a pellet gun, couldn't get it.
i set up a hunting blind and went out before light with coffee and a pellet gun, couldn't get it.
one day i was cleaning a shotgun on the deck and saw a male cardinal fling around, loaded the gun and got it on the fly not knowing if it was the one or not but i hated them so much by that time i didn't care, never saw it again.
i'm laughing just thinking about how pissed off we used to get at daylight every morning for weeks
good luck!
 

xcr440

Well-known member
Yup, had a robin doing that last year daily at dawn, to the point of bleeding all over the front of the house.
 

fatdaddy

Member
we had the same issue, we put blue painters tape on the inside, making stripes in both directions, it worked for us.
 

lvr1000

New member
Copy of dogs060207 001.jpg We have colorful butterfies instead of transparent as the link above. They work and decorate the window. I used the pellet gun before that. Made the mistake of having my dobe out with me. I winged the bird and it was on the run of its life. It lasted about 5 minutes. Scooby still goes nuts when I get a gun out. Same with a fishing pole. Not safe to be on a dock with pole in hand with him around.
 

anonomoose

New member
Put anything in front of the window (cardboard, plywood, etc) where they are used to seeing their reflection and the process will end. They will defend their territory to the death...it is what they do and why they start yapping before dawn in the tree right next to your open window.

I think we can sum up that Robins are not the smartest birds in the wild, but their persistence makes up for their stupidity. I had them build nests on top of tires that were mounted on trucks inside the wheel well. They do craft one of the nices nests in the business.

Good thing there are huge numbers of them, or they would go the way of the dodo birds.
 
T

Team Elkhorn

Guest
We have some Serviceberry (amelancher) trees in our yard and the robins lay claim to them for their berries. They will pick a fight with anyone who comes near them, including us or the dogs. The dogs can be sitting, looking out the window and the robins will smash into the window to get them. The dogs go ballistic! We receive a lot of dead robin gifts at our back door from our doggies.:eek:
 
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