SASKATOON -- The spring phenomenon of robins striking home windows is explained by their territorial nature, says Jan Shadick with Living Sky Wildlife Rehabilitation.
Sometimes males of the species will attack the windows because they see their reflection and think it’s the threat of another bird, she said. This is common when birds return from their trip south.
“It should usually go away in about two weeks. I've heard of it lasting a really long time, but my suspicion is that it's a male that never got a mate."
She has some tips for dealing with the feathered fiends.
- Hang something shiny outside the window, such as a wind chime or a CD hung from a string. This will cause a distraction from the window pane.
- A decoy bird such as a plastic owl or hawk from the hardware store will also work.
- Write with soap on the window or draw a robin.
- Netting strung in front of the window will reduce the reflection.
- Cover the window with newspaper.
Shadick also said this is different than bird strikes where the bird hits so hard because it doesn’t notice the glass.
In that case, Shadick said the birds often get injured or even die.
Living Sky Wildlife Rehabilitation is working to protect birds from those types of window strikes by tracking the buildings they hit.
Information on the program they are running, which was sponsored by a grant from the City of Saskatoon, is on their website.
