Why do Robins fly at home windows? How can they be stopped?

Question

I live in rural Northern Idaho. (Heavily forested area.) Every spring robins fly at the large windows around my home repeatedly. Hour after hour, day after day. (If I close the drapes, they move to another window. They bang a couple of times, go back to a tree then repeat.)

What do they want? How can I discourage them?

Answer 1

At this point is spring, it is mating season, couples are making nests- they might like something in your house that might attract them to maybe use, especailly if there are plants in sight.



If you want to scare them away, go to your local hardware store, like Home Depot, and get a large plastic owl. Perch it on an outside ledge outside and this will scare them off.



If you have a water source around your home (like a birdbath) move it to one of the sides of the house that you would perfer them to be. Put up a nest box and an easy to get to bird feeder, and they will be more apt to hang out where the food is.



One thing I have found useful is to put up one of those bird feeders that attatch to your window. They do not look nearly as tacky as one of those out-of-season window clings, and it is not like an owl or hawk shape that will scare them away. This has been a major benfit on the flip side, to us as well. You can watch them using the feeder.



Another idea, look into those breeding boxes you can put on your window that is backless. Once the robins see the "territory" is occupied, they will stay away from the window, and there is a good chance you could have a family of robins nesting, and you can see the fascination of the circle of life :)

Answer 2

It is not only the territorial issue. Actually, it is not usually that. Birds don't 'get' glass- they really can't see it, and so they just go flying straight at it thinking they can fly right through. Try putting up window clings, or maybe hang some stained glass ornament up with those little suction cups. If you want to, make it hawk or owl shaped, that will scare the birds. Otherwise, just about any ornament will make them pause long enough to see that there is glass there.

Do you have windows positioned so that you can see right through the house? Picture windows are also bad for this. The robins may be seeing something interesting through the window, or, since it happens in spring, they may simply be seeing thier reflection as getsevera said, and are beign territorial. Try putting something in the window, that usually works.







Oh, and my friend wants me to let you know, they may be just plain suicidal. :P

Answer 3

they are either seeing a reflection as a rival in thier terratory or seeing light though another window and trying to fly thru an open passage (birds dont get the glass concept)



they sell a static cling that resembles the center of a large spiderweb- out it in the center of the window and the bird thinks there is a web there and is less prone to fly through there



if its a reflection you could put up a piece of nylon screen on the outside of the window.

Answer 4

birds have no concept of 'glass' so they either see a reflection and are trying to fight/mate or they think they can go right thru. They make bird stickers (usually black) that you put on your windows. HOliday window clings would work too....anything that shows the bird there is something there.

Answer 5

We have a female cardinal that is doing the same thing...she sees her reflection in the window, thinks it is a rival and attacks...maybe this is where the expression "birdbrain" comes from....I have tried yelling sneaking up on it to scare it....maybe post a picture of an owl in the window....?

Answer 6

Sometimes if you put something shinny in the window they don't like it and won't fly into it.

Answer 7

they see the reflection of the sky/trees and dont know its glass. smudge up your windows a little.