Whatbird.com

Hi, I have a crazy cardinal and his mate that derives great joy by flying into my window. It perches on a nearby bush or table and then just flies into the window. The bird has been on my property for several years but just developed this behavior last year. It is very annoying and hurts the bird. In fact I've cleaned blood off of the window. We've tried placing wind twirlers on the window and nothing seems to deter it. Its not just the window to the dining room..it does for all windows in the back yard along with the windows along the side of my home. Ger (gerleb53@yahoo.com)

That is crazy, especially if it is the same bird.  There must be something in your house it likes.  I've had birds do this at my house but not all the time.  I actually had a cardinal and a goldfinch to die hitting one of my windows.  I put some decals on it and it seems to have helped.

Welcome, to Whatbird, ger!  Are those your intitials or do you like to growl? ;)

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Matthew 6:26

You are soooo funny! Ger is short for Geralyn. Actually most people call me Gerry. Thank you for your warm welcome....(meow)

Ger 

Thanks, Ger, I have my moments 

Hope you get your cardinal problem straightend out, too

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Matthew 6:26

Yea, I've come to believe that cardinals have different personalities.  I watched a female today chase off a titmouse to make room for her mate to come and feed.  Yet I also watched a male perch right next to the rufous sided-towhee today.  I've also watched how the male feeds the female so tenderly - like they are kissing.  We have at least 4 pairs of them around here and they are territorial.  The males seem to chase each other away.  Is your crazy cardinal a male or female?  I wonder if there is something in your house that is red that it sees from outside - or maybe it is just its own reflection that it is trying to chase away.

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Sharon Calahan

It is a male and the windows are indeed reflective. He does not hit the windows with screens and of course they are not reflective. But the bird has been here for about 5 years but only began this behavior April of 2007. I think your explanation is very likely..thank you soooo much. But, any suggestions as to a remedy?

Sounds like he's fighting an intruder on his territory.   I had a bluebird fight a rearview mirror on my truck all summer one year. Crazy birds fight with their reflections sometimes.  

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Don't cry because it's over, smile because you were there.

When I was in a college dorm, we had a certain window that male cardinals would repeatedly fly into with a vengeance!  What is happening is they see their own reflection, & mistake it for ANOTHER male cardinal!  & they are defending their right to the female!

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"So many sparrows, so little time!"