For the past few days, a male robin has been attacking the glass doors on my patio. It isn't a case of not realizing there's glass there--my windows are clean, but not enough to confuse the bird. I've had my house for five years now and it didn't happen the first three years at all. Last year, it happened briefly, but once or twice and it was done. Not this year.
This year, the idiot robin has spent days attacking my window over and over. When I pull the drapes, it's mostly stopped the problem, although he did fly at my other windows that have curtains over them. The thing is that I like sunlight and would love to have my drapes open so I can enjoy the light. But I don't want the bird to kill itself attacking the windows either.
I've tried chasing him away. He flies to the tree in my backyard and then returns later to attack the window again.
On Thursday, it occurred to me what was different this year and last year versus the first three years I was in the house. I didn't hang my wind spinner on the deck! This should solve the problem, right? So I dug out the spinner, chased the idiot bird off, and hung my spinner.
An hour later, he was back...attacking the window.
Some research explained that robins are territorial and the male is defending his area. Against himself. Um, yeah. The article said that robins aren't stupid (Really? You couldn't prove it by me.) and that once the babies are born, he'll be too busy feeding them to worry about his reflection.
In the meantime, I've got a dodo bird attacking his image. :-( Territorial or not, you'd think that after thunking against glass about fifty times, the birdbrained robin would think, "dude, reflection." Nope. Not that bright no matter what the website said.
After I shooed him away yet again, he started singing his territorial, this is my land, song from all around my yard. And singing it loudly enough that I could hear him with all my windows closed. Guess he was really set on proving this is his land and no other male robin better even think about coming around.
You notice, though, that it isn't the female robin flinging herself pointlessly against the glass. She's probably busy building the nest while macho bird fights himself. ;-)
I'm going to try a fake owl to keep the bird away. I was hoping to have it Thursday night because my parents have one, only they can't find it. They're looking. If this doesn't do the trick, there was a suggestion online to try helium balloons. I can't believe this is actually happening over and over again.
