Whatever you decide to do, you will need to do it for at least several
weeks. Last year at this time an injured friend who was home bedbound
documented a similar behavior. It went on for an average of 5 hours a day, 7
days a week (with only one day missed) for 44 days.

It is a territorial escalation response. The robin see's its reflection as
an invader and gives the signal, often by raising crown feathers or drooping
wings, to this "invader" in his territory, only to have the invader do it
right back! Which of course is a sign of aggression, and thus it escalates
into full attack. Often such birds, particularly at ground level windows
become so agitated and preoccupied that they are easy prey to cats, hawks,
or even humans. I observed a robin once who combated a window for 2 hours
nonstop, then lay down exhausted. I once walked up to a bird thus engaged,
and picked it up (which was a mistake as it pooped all over me and stabbed
my hand with its bill). It flew away from the window, then returned less
than 5 minutes later.

You need to fully removed the reflection for the duration of the birds
nesting season as it will continue to look for that nasty invader over and
over again several times each day.

Rob Sandelin
South Snohomish County at the headwaters of Ricci Creek
Sky Valley Environments <http://www.nonprofitpages.com/nica/SVE.htm>
Field skills training for student naturalists
Floriferous at msn.com


-----Original Message-----
From: TWEETERS-owner at u.washington.edu
[mailto:TWEETERS-owner at u.washington.edu]On Behalf Of Laurie Moeck
Sent: Thursday, March 25, 2004 10:14 AM
To: Tweeters (E-mail)
Subject: Very territorial robin


My next door neighbor's garage window is right next to his fence. A
male robin has staked out this fence as part of his territory and is now
attacking his reflection in the glass. I put up a piece of screen this
morning, and it blocked him for awhile, but he seems very bent on
self-destruction (there are a few feathers below the window - he just
won't stop!) and found a way to see a portion of himself. Now I'm
wondering if there's something else I can do other than stand there
watching and occasionally shooing him off. My brother is making up some
wonderful stories about it all, and is making me laugh, but I feel badly
for the bird. Does anyone have any ideas?

Laurie Moeck
Ferndale, WA