Nighttime Bird Problem

[14Karma]

I am hoping someone can help! I live in the Smith Creek area, and my house has a walk-out basement which has a large window which has a deck above. The window ledge is approximately 2' off the ground and the deck above is not finished underneath. A few days ago my husband noticed a large amount of bird poop on the ledge and the window looked as though
it had been marked all over by by wet dirty feathers. He scrubbed it all off and cleaned the window last night. He went down there this morning and there was another big mess!
What kind of bird stays awake all night? ....and never mind one bird....there must be a flock to produce this kind of mess!
We have scrutinized the underside of the deck, I thought seeing as it is not finished maybe a bird was trying to build a nest, but no, no building going on.
Any ideas? Owls? Bats? I have noticed alot of Magpies around? We also have numerous quails...???
Thanks in advance for any help you can offer!

[beancounter]

My guess would be a male robin seeing itself in the reflection early in the morning. They fight their own reflections; we have them quite often. They are very early risers, so you might not notice except for the mess.

[TylerM4]

Very few birds are awake at night. Especially the type of bird that travels in a flock. Not bats - they are awake at night and you'd find them sleeping there during the day.

Is this new? Regardless, its not uncommon for birds to use the same spot to overnight for a period of time or even permanently. For some birds - once they find a decent spot, they return to the same spot to overnight if they are in the same area.

I bet if you go down there after dark with a flashlight, you'll find them under there sleeping away. Sounds VERY familiar to what my grandfather had going on when I was a kid - except my grandfather liked having the birds there.. Must have been 50 birds that would come every night. I remember my cousin and I walking under the deck shortly after dark and being able to walk right up to the birds and pick them up - I also remember the subsequent spanking we received as Grandpa knew the birds wouldn't return if they were being disturbed overnight.

Your best action is to make the area unsuitable for roosting. If this is new and you just want to do something until they find another spot, some chicken wire or equivalent keeping them out of the location for a few days ought to be enough to encourage them to find a new spot.

[14Karma]

Problem just about solved! You are right....it is a robin, my hubby went down there real early and saw him fly off. Now, how to keep it away?
I am torn as I am worried he/she has a nest nearby and just wants to stay close at night, yet it is leaving one heck of a mess! I don't want to use chicken wire or anything that will harm it....maybe just put a sheet on the outside of the window at night until it finds a new place to roost!
I spoke to a client today that had a male robin do that at their house....but stayed day long....it fell in love with itself and never left, it died in front of their window!
So, Thank you so much for replying and helping me solve this!
ps- love the story of handling the little birds and getting spanked!....you know, that memory makes the spanking worth it!!

[Bsuds]

They sometimes see their reflection in the glass and being mating season the are attracted to it.

Try putting up a board or something to block the reflection.

[LoneWolf_53]

They sometimes see their reflection in the glass and being mating season the are attracted to it.

Try putting up a board or something to block the reflection.

Or a picture of an ugly bird. 8-)

[matai]

If it had a nest, it would stay on the nest. And it would scream the hell out of itself to let you know you're not welcome in the neighborhood, and it would stay around until you go away.

Just put a cheap net you can buy at canayan tire with some velcro from any dollar store on the outside of the window frame for a while, or buy yourself a cat:




Something else temporary you can do is buy a 1X4, cut it the length of your window, install two wooden triangles under it and place it on the ledge, so it gives your ledge a smooth 45 degree angle. the bird won't be able to sit on it.

[bazinga42]

Take up birdwatching and enjoy the view?

[Jim Dixon]

I am hoping someone can help! ...............
Any ideas? Owls? Bats? I have noticed alot of Magpies around? We also have numerous quails...???
Thanks in advance for any help you can offer!

I agree with most of the comments - mating season. We found blood and gore on our passenger side window and mirror. It was a robin - I caught him at it. He was beating himself, and then later another one was, stupid - taking turns attacking the window and mirror. I just put a blue plastic bag over the window and door. Removed it when going anywhere, replacing when back. Only lasts a few days - then no problem.

But, if that doesn't work, borrow the neigbours five cats - they should keep them birds at bay - please!

j

[zzontar]

I caught him at it. He was beating himself

Must have been a teen-aged robin... probably red-breasted and red-faced!

[14Karma]

Well, another problem now....the Robin has us hostage! We put a board up in front of "his" basement window and he just went around the corner to another window....so we put a piece of board up in front of that. Next day he was up to our top floor trying to get in the family room window. It is 3 floors up and we can't get to it to place a board in front of it, nor do we want to! The neighbours think we are fighting at night and smashing windows! haha! We have 32 windows!
I wish I didn't feel sorry for the little guy.....actually thinking I should just get a large cage and keep him as a pet!
The neighbour does have 2 cats that are in our yard all the time....I am really surprised this little guy has survived!
I just hope he goes away before the real heat starts, nothing more fun than getting baked-on bird poop off of painted window sills!

[matai]

I'm afraid the only remaining solution left is to bbq the little robin.