Please help figuring out Cardinals strange behavior (1 Viewer)

Hi Everyone.
I am brand new here. My name is Linda and I'm from the North Eastern U.S. It is still very much winter here. I have joined because I need some incite on a Cardinal that is acting very strange. I hope someone can tell help me figure out why he is doing what he is doing.

He has spent the last two days in our bushes and flies from one window to the next all day long looking into the house. I had a large red floral arrangement on a table and have removed that thinking he was mistaking it for a lovely female. He pecks at the windows and has been tweating constantly. He moves around the bushes very excitedly and then returns to one of two windows to look inside.

In the Fall he usually was with his mate but I have not seen her lately. What is he thinking? What is doing? Should is do anything to discourage him? He has flown into a window several times.

Any incite you could shed on this behavior would be appreciated!

Regards,
Linda

Hi, and welcome to BirdForum!

My guess is that he is fighting his reflection in the windows, like American Robins and many other species will do. I could be wrong, though, so maybe someone else will have a better answer.

Yep, he's attacking his reflection--Cardinals are very territorial and notorious for this behavior. The best thing you can do is block his access to whatever perch he's attacking from.

Thanks so much! That makes perfect sense! I'm going to put something in the windows to try and discourage him. He's completely obsessed with himself. I took a picture of him in action. I'm uploading it (hopefully).

Thanks again,
Linda