Poor birds!

[Constance]

As many of you know, the back of our house opens into the woods. Beyond that we have open fields, lots more woods, and the river bottoms.
We have a bird feeder on the deck, and two sets of glass patio doors that open to the deck.
The poor birds see their reflections in the doors, and think its another bird. The male cardinals are very territorial, and they are the worst. They attack the reflection, thumping violently into the plate glass, and some of them die.
Others just sit there addled for a few minutes, then fly off.
Today, we were getting ice and snow, and it was very busy at the feeder. We heard quite a few thumps, and we thought for sure that two of them were goners, but they both finally came too and flew off.

The other day, Kim saw a young red-tail hawk swooping through after an injured bird. That's quite a trick, as thick as the trees are around the back of our house, but hawks are amazing.

Does anyone else here get into birds? If you do, let me tell you about our Tow Hees.

 

[LadyCook61]

I have several bird feeders , and I have seen Cooper's Hawk going after the birds.

 

[sattie]

Constance, I know that there is a window treatment that you can put on your doors to help prevent that from happening. I will see if I can find where I saw that at. Some of the newer buildings who's owners are thinking green have made those considerations and have done the windows in the building to prevent that. It may or may not be an option for you.

I love all kinds of wildlife, and I like watching birds go about their business. We usually have Morning Doves and these little red breasted finches that hang around our back yard. I love them!

In one of the buildings that I worked at many years ago, they had that problem. But the real problem was that the birds were eating the berries of a particular bush which caused them to get 'drunk' and then they would fly into windows. Some were stunned, some died.

 

[Uncle Bob]

I feed birds...love birds...build bluebird boxes...etc. However there is one that has decided that my BBQ cooker is a good place to do..."business"....This one has got to go!!! I enjoy the the Rufus Sided Towhee Miss Connie. Love the Red Tails and Coopers Hawks as well...especially their call.

 

[auntdot]

We used to put out several feeders. Only problem was the birds were messy and there would be lots of seed on the ground.

I could take the messy lawn but a lot of the birds would find it easier to eat off the ground than the feeders.

There are a lot of cats in our area who run loose. Cats like to catch birds on the ground. And we became a very popular site for them. And they would catch the birds.

Now these were cats with homes, they were out hunting because that is what they do.

But I hated hosting a hunting lodge for cats.

Was brought up in a literal zoo and understand animals have to eat. If a bird is swept up by a raptor, that is the way of nature.

But setting up a diner for cats bothered me. So now we only hang suet feeders high when it is very cold and the snow is on the ground.

 

[Uncle Bob]

But I hated hosting a hunting lodge for cats.

Hahahahaha!!!

 

[Constance]

Cat's don't seem to bother my hanging feeder, but maybe that's because there are plenty of field mice for them here. I know if I were a cat, I'd rather have a warm, plump mouse than a mouth full of feathers.

 

[sparrowgrass]

My dogs eat the cats that stray in. That solves that problem.

I don't have much trouble with squirrels, either.

 

[LadyCook61]

My dogs eat the cats that stray in. That solves that problem.

I don't have much trouble with squirrels, either.

aww geez... not the cats.

 

[Constance]

We live at the edge of town, and a lot of strays get dropped off in this area. The coyotes get a lot of them, and DH has actually had to shoot a couple that looked sick.
The smartest ones survive though, and we usually have one or two that hang out around the property. We never feed them, but we like having them around, because they help keep down the mice.

 

[SpiritWolf]

I love birds in our yard, we have bird feeders and bird bathes at the front and the back of our place, we also have Birds and Guinea pigs in their own cages, The only problem is that we get snakes as well, that kill and eat our beloved pets as well as our native fauna, but that doesn;t stop me from having them, its just a challenge, we all have to learn to live with them, as much as I hate my pets being killed or eaten, but I put up a good fight to save them though, The Snakes dont get much, but they are around all the time, we cant get rid of them, we are always calling or Snake man to come and rescue another snake, as well as our poor Guineas, not good, but what can you do, but learn to live with them.

 

[AMSeccia]

Oh no ... this is hard for a cat lover to read!!! I had to cover their little eyes and ears. Like it or not, cats are people too you know!

As for the birds and windows, my grandmother has a similar problem. She's not about to feel responsible for her birds dying, so she will hang whatever she can on them, tissue paper, wrapping paper, streamers, she doesn't care ... she wants to make sure they don't get hurt. Looks awful, drives the family crazy, but Grandma is happy. And you know what they say when Grandma (or Mama) ain't happy ...

 

[jpmcgrew]

Oh no ... this is hard for a cat lover to read!!! I had to cover their little eyes and ears. Like it or not, cats are people too you know!

As for the birds and windows, my grandmother has a similar problem. She's not about to feel responsible for her birds dying, so she will hang whatever she can on them, tissue paper, wrapping paper, streamers, she doesn't care ... she wants to make sure they don't get hurt. Looks awful, drives the family crazy, but Grandma is happy. And you know what they say when Grandma (or Mama) ain't happy ...

I taped up paper doilies on the inside of my windows it helps alot.

 

[LEFSElover]

Love birds. Was redressing the bed in clean linens last week and couldn't tell what was on one of our brick raised planters. I looked closer to the window and saw two of the loviest birds there sort of sleeping. All curled up, so sweet, larger birds, sort of beige with dots and a plume on their heads. They look like bigger versions of doves shapewise. We have those road runner looking birds everywhere too. They're everywhere and they run so quick to get out of the way when cars go up the street. Their little plumes on their heads that little tassel thingie. Then all the baby's follow suit. So cute.

My Siberians kill any cat that comes into the back yard. I/we have found 4 or 5 and it just kills me but they're hunters by nature and if a cat wonders in what's a person to do?

 

[SpiritWolf]

Lefselover Do you have Sibes as well, I have 2, 1 Male about 3 years old, he is a cheeky little S***T he is Black/Silver/White, and my Girl, She is 9 or 10 years she is Red/White with Blue eyes, she is so placid, I wonder if she is really a Sibe, but she is , she has papers and is an Ex-show dog, they are both beautiful, my girl doesn't harm a fly, we have cats,birds,guinea pigs chooks,ducks, she is so good, she doesn't chase them or bark, or cry/whinge, nothing, she is so quiet, our neighbour thought we only had one dog, not 2, Im so proud of her, and our young one, the male, when I first got him, I just trained him not to hurt any other animal in our house, as they are all equal, it was quite easy, he wont touch the cats now, they crawl all over both dogs, he wont hurt the birds or the guineas, he watches them and protects them for me, from all the hawks and other predators, he is just so good as well, my friends keep saying they cant understand how I did it, but its easy, my dogs would not harm a fly, and yet other Sibes and Malies, HATE cats and other smaller animals. I use to have a Malamute ( Hense my name Spiritwolf ) , that was her name, and she use to guard all my other animals while I was at work, or picking my kids up from school. I remember one day we came home from school, and our Guinea Pigs has gotten out of their cage ( how I dont know ), BUT, our Malie, just lied there until we got home and protected them and watched that they didn't escape, until we got home, she even lied there until I put them all back into their cages , then she got up, Hows that for protection and trustworthyness. I LOVE them all. What are your dogs like, they can be trained you know, its hard at first, but they just need to know, WHO really is BOSS. Im boss here and they know it, the only time the dogs fight is over food, that is why I tie them up at meal times, then they eat there food, and NO fights. I LOVE that breed of dog, they are all FAMILY.

 

[JoAnn L.]

As many of you know, the back of our house opens into the woods. Beyond that we have open fields, lots more woods, and the river bottoms.
We have a bird feeder on the deck, and two sets of glass patio doors that open to the deck.
The poor birds see their reflections in the doors, and think its another bird. The male cardinals are very territorial, and they are the worst. They attack the reflection, thumping violently into the plate glass, and some of them die.
Others just sit there addled for a few minutes, then fly off.
Today, we were getting ice and snow, and it was very busy at the feeder. We heard quite a few thumps, and we thought for sure that two of them were goners, but they both finally came too and flew off.

The other day, Kim saw a young red-tail hawk swooping through after an injured bird. That's quite a trick, as thick as the trees are around the back of our house, but hawks are amazing.

Does anyone else here get into birds? If you do, let me tell you about our Tow Hees.

Constance; just thought I would tell you that I saw my first Robin this morning. What a beautiful sight. It sure gave me a nice warm feeling. JoAnn

 

[Maverick2272]

We talked to a client of ours the other day that had the same problem with cardinals and other birds seeing their reflections and attacking the glass. She suggested either soaping the windows to eliminate the reflection or tinting to do the same depending on your budget.

 

[jeninga75]

I love hummingbirds. I actually just put my feeder up today. I will take some pictures if I can catch them at the feeder. Sometimes when they're all over the place I'll go out on the patio and sit so they get used to me. A few years ago I stood at the feeder with my hand up every now and then but could only last a few minutes because my arm got tired. Then one day as I was about to give up one landed on my finger! It was so awsome to have something wild trust you like that. It lasted seconds but I'll never forget it. I try every year but it hasn't happened since.

In the winter I throw seed on the ground under my patio (I live in a 2nd floor apt) so all the winter birds have plenty to eat. I also get a bag of peanuts for the squirrls.