Great Tit Behaviour (1 Viewer)

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Malcolm Webb

Well-known member

• Jan 9, 2012

• #1

For the past couple of days a pair of great tits have been constantly flying on to the kitchen and dining room window sills of the house and tapping on the window as though they want to come in. This is happening every few minutes.

Can anyone explain this behaviour please.

Malcolm Webb

 

P

PhilW

Well-known member

• Jan 9, 2012

• #2

Malcolm.
By a pair do you mean male and female. There are a few possible explanations I can think of:

They've seen their reflection in the glass and think they're chasing off intruders. The
mild weather has induced the Great Tits in my garden to start singing!

They're after small insects not necessarily on the glass but around the edges of the pane.

They're trying to eat the putty for the linseed if you have olderer style windows.

 

ChrisKten

It's true, I quite like Pigeons

• Jan 9, 2012

• #3

There's a few obvious possibilities, Malcolm; Birds sometimes attack their reflection, as they think it's another bird. Also, birds like Tits peck around the frame if there's small insects there to eat.

The less obvious, and rather spooky unless you're a Witch, I'll keep to myself|=)| (No, I'm not a Witch)

EDIT: Phil beat me to it.

 

pstraughan

Well-known member

• Jan 9, 2012

• #4

I had the same thing with a couple of House Sparrows a few years ago. It nearly drove me mad as it went on for several weeks. I was also given the reflection/intruder/insect explanations. It stopped when the breeding season started. House Sparrows are very rare in my garden and I assumed they went off to join the local colony.

Pat

 

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Malcolm Webb

Well-known member

• Jan 11, 2012

• #5

Thanks for the suggestions. Not sure what the answer is but after aabout 3 days of doing it, they seem to have stopped.

Malcolm

 

iveljay

Well-known member

• Feb 1, 2012

• #6

I have a Dunnock that makes me feel an intruder in my own kitchen, it sits watching me constantly willing me to leave so it can continue foraging for insects around the window frame. It looks you straight in the eye and thinks foul things about you for disturbing it. Other birds just tap around - this one employs psychological warfare!