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I feel so guilty! (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter Elizabeth Bigg
- Start date
Darren Oakley-Martin
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Not a pleasant find at all Elizabeth, my condolences. Do you have any ideas what the cause of death was? Did it fly into the patio windows? Incidentally, does anyone have any bright ideas about how to prevent this all too frequent occurence?
Elizabeth Bigg
Addicted member
I guessed right away that it had hit a window, and I later realised that there were 3 little fluffy feathers on the glass.
I have heard of people putting silhouettes of hawks on their windows, or cobwebby type things (I have seen both of these in catalogues), but I don't know how effective they are. We don't have many incidents like this - we had one a few months ago, but I think the collared dove had crashed into the window when it was trying to escape from a sparrowhawk, because when I looked a little later, a spawk was on the lawn plucking away at the dove's feathers. I comforted myself that time with the thought that breaking its neck on the window was better than being plucked while still alive!!
I have heard of people putting silhouettes of hawks on their windows, or cobwebby type things (I have seen both of these in catalogues), but I don't know how effective they are. We don't have many incidents like this - we had one a few months ago, but I think the collared dove had crashed into the window when it was trying to escape from a sparrowhawk, because when I looked a little later, a spawk was on the lawn plucking away at the dove's feathers. I comforted myself that time with the thought that breaking its neck on the window was better than being plucked while still alive!!
Darren Oakley-Martin
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If you are trying to attract songbirds into your garden, presumably the silhouette of a hawk would be counter-productive? There surely must be another way, although I'm damned if I can think what it is.......
Darren Oakley-Martin
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bert said:
Ah, thanks Bert. :t: I'm off to make myself a cut-out Peregrine!
So sorry, Elizabeth. I know how awful that feels... I think we all do! 
I just make sure I have something hanging in every window to break up the span of glass. I use suncatchers... just enough to make sure they know they can't go through.
Another thing I've done too is move a few feeders CLOSER to the house along with some feeders right on the windows. If the birds are close enough, in a panic, they HAVE to fly away from the house, instead of towards it. It's been pretty effective this winter with very few accidents.
I just make sure I have something hanging in every window to break up the span of glass. I use suncatchers... just enough to make sure they know they can't go through.
Another thing I've done too is move a few feeders CLOSER to the house along with some feeders right on the windows. If the birds are close enough, in a panic, they HAVE to fly away from the house, instead of towards it. It's been pretty effective this winter with very few accidents.
samuel walker
It's OK to be a little blue........
Your siskin
Elizabeth:
I'm sorry to hear of the loss of your siskin.We do get atached to these wild things.I'm not conviced about shilohettes. I have a pair of Redtailed hawks that bird hunt with windows.They have learned to stoop at a feeding station near windows with hawk decals.The frightened mourning doves crash into the windows and drop stunned.The hawk circles back to pick up the prey.My guess is that in a totally wild area the big hawk would use trees or a cliff side to drive the bird into.Let's hope the remaining siskins have a productive breeding season.
Sam
Elizabeth:
I'm sorry to hear of the loss of your siskin.We do get atached to these wild things.I'm not conviced about shilohettes. I have a pair of Redtailed hawks that bird hunt with windows.They have learned to stoop at a feeding station near windows with hawk decals.The frightened mourning doves crash into the windows and drop stunned.The hawk circles back to pick up the prey.My guess is that in a totally wild area the big hawk would use trees or a cliff side to drive the bird into.Let's hope the remaining siskins have a productive breeding season.
Sam
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daverigden
Member
I had a collared dove come straight through the (closed) window and zooming round the room quite unfazed.
If they're all that tough it's no wonder we have so many about.
Did me a favour though- when I reglazed I found out that modern glass doesn't distort like the older stuff, and as it was my "birdwatching" window I was well pleased!
Dave
If they're all that tough it's no wonder we have so many about.
Did me a favour though- when I reglazed I found out that modern glass doesn't distort like the older stuff, and as it was my "birdwatching" window I was well pleased!
Dave
nobby
Well-known member
ElizabethElizabeth Bigg said:
Have you got windows at both ends of your room like you would have in a through room and no net curtains? I have read somewhere that this confuses birds into thinking that they can fly through and out the other end as they can see daylight through the far window. If you close the curtains on the far window the other window becomes more like a mirror and the birds can see it as a solid object. I presume a strong light on in the room would have the same effect.
Brett
Elizabeth Bigg
Addicted member
No it's not a through room - just a wide room with a stretch of around 18 feet of (3) patio doors. I found another siskin on the ground today, but I could see it was still breathing and after about half an hour while I kept watch it flew away. The siskin count went up to around 50 today - though they flit around so much, it's dificult to be precise.
