Expert: Julia Booth - 7/4/2008

Question
we have a female cardinal that continues to crash into the same little window pane of a multi-pane window.  she sits on a railing outside and continues to run her beak into the window until we try to scare her away because we are afraid she will break her neck.  I cut out a black silhouette of a larger bird in the window and it does not deter her.  I wonder what we can do?

Answer
I think I've answered this one before -Cardinals more than any other. They're very territorial and when they see what they assume is another bird, they attack it.

If she's not flying into the window at full speed, then it's not an issue of depth perception and it's doubtful that she'll be injured or that the silhouette will help.

Cardinals are easily distracted. Try hanging some shiny objects and maybe tiny, reflective surfaces around your garden to see if that will deter her. She is likely to stop doing it once breeding season is over anyway.

Julia