Make my Psychotic Cardinal Go Away!!!

[TriMom]

There is a psychotic cardinal living on my back deck. He sits on a chair and then dive bombs my glass door and two windows facing the deck. It is because he can see his reflection in the windows, and is being territorial.

All day long - cheep cheep cheep BANG BANG BANG cheep BANG.

How do I make life so uncomfortable for this bird that he decides to live elsewhere?

 

[usnuzuloose]

Maybe you can tint the glass, this may help. Jo

 

[TheBigBadWolf]

Hang something over the door/windows for a few days, like a sheet or blanket, so he can't see his reflection. That will stop his behavior. The poor bird will injure himself severely if he continues to attack his reflection.

 

[stm61]

last summer we had a bird that would sit on Dh's side mirror and do the same thing. Dh worked all day, but within 15 min. of coming home, the bird would appear. He didn't make much noise and never hurt himself or the mirror. Didn't matter if he was chased away, he'd always come back. I finally decided if the bird was that determined, we'd just leave him be. Maybe it was his evening entertainment lol. Dh wasn't so thrilled about the droppings that decorated his door though. The bird left last winter and didn't return this year.

 

[Northstar]

There is a psychotic cardinal living on my back deck. He sits on a chair and then dive bombs my glass door and two windows facing the deck. It is because he can see his reflection in the windows, and is being territorial.

All day long - cheep cheep cheep BANG BANG BANG cheep BANG.

How do I make life so uncomfortable for this bird that he decides to live elsewhere?

Oh, the way you told this just made me laugh so hard....

Why not get some cheap mirrors (borrow from friends) and stick them all over your yard (away from your deck)?
Either he'll go totally berserk trying to drive away all those other cardinals, or he'll decide the neighborhood is just too crowded and go away.

You'll have fun watching what happens, too.

 

[Mimi1965]

last summer we had a bird that would sit on Dh's side mirror and do the same thing. Dh worked all day, but within 15 min. of coming home, the bird would appear. .

WE had a bird do that-and he pooped all over the truck while sitting on the mirror-DH had to put a bag (from grocery store) on the mirrors every time he came home

 

[MIGrandma]

Must be our Cardinals are calm, as they've never banged into any of our windows, even the big bay and the French doors of the family room.

We've had a pair of them here for 3 years now. I love seeing them, and hearing them sing.

 

[I loveStitchnippyjon]

Yes, every summer we have "Mr. Cardinal" attacking the kitchen window, the garage window, and the barn windows, while "Mrs. Cardinal" just sits on a branch watching the show and probably sighing to herself "MEN!"

 

[dis-happy]

I used a mylar balloon to make the darn "5 in the morning let's wake the baby" woodpecker pecking on our house go away. Maybe it would work for a cardinal too????

 

[Nik's Mom]

We have a pair of cardinals that attack our windows too. One of the windows has a tint, so even that doesn't stop those dumb birds! Last year, one of them knocked themself out. It was on the ground for a good 10 minutes. I thought it was dead. It's mate waited near by. Then, eventually the bird that knocked itself silly got up and flew away.