Maybe that's what's called a "bird brain." ;-)

I had the birds-hitting-the-windows a couple years ago because of the reflective film on the window panes. I think they thought the birds they saw were competition.

Since I posted the thread, she's been alternating windows, still hitting hard. The sun is shining, after a couple of days of rain--I have a small dogwood in front of the front window, and a lilac in front of the side window. The only thing I can surmise is that the windows are reflecting the leaves on the trees, and she's trying to go deeper into the foliage. I have off-white curtains at each of the windows, so there is nothing red to catch her attention. My standing in the windows doesn't seem to deter her, and neither do the territorial hummingbirds, whose feeder is on the front porch.

Bless her little birdie heart, her beak is open, and she's chirping and calling. I wonder if she had a fledgling that was killed by a predator? Or, maybe since it's so humid, the blackberries are fermenting, and she's had a lil' too mush.

I'm gonna hope for the latter!

This is getting stranger. Since my last post I fixed supper (big wok of pork fried rice), and came back to the front room. She's still at it, and when I looked out the window, a little goldfinch, female as well, was flitting around in the lilac, looking in the window, too, as if she was wondering what the poor cardinal was seeing. The cardinal's beak looks as if it's stained dark toward the back, so maybe she has ingested something that's making her act so strange.

Ohhh, it's a bird! I thought it was something about a member of the Catholic Church!

Poor birdie. Have you gone outside and looked in the windows yourself? I wonder what she's seeing. You don't have a picture of a cardinal on the wall, do you??!!

I think some birds will attack windows cuz they think there's another bird there, like Lucile said. Had one hit window so hard, knocked itself out! I thought it was dead, just lying there on deck. After about 5 minutes there was movement. Eventually it got up, shook itself off, and flew away... can't help but think it said... hope nobody saw me do THAT!!

Birds hit the windows on occasion, then fly off, but this one didn't give up until dusk. I went out and looked at both windows, and nothing is different today (and no pics of cardinals or Cardinals ;). She flew away when I was outside, but by the time I went back in the room, she was hitting the window again--sometimes at the top, sometimes in the middle, and she would also sit on the window ledge. We'll see what happens tomorrow ...

Could you tape a large black garbage bag of the inside of your window to see it that makes the bird stop? Print out and tape a large picture of a hawk in the window? Years ago when we lived in Ohio I had a cardinal who did the same thing and it would come to whatever room I was in.....second floor, main floor, den level. It seemed to follow me. This went on for a good week until it finally stopped. I have no idea why.

Her beak is likely dark from her own blood.

She must have a nest nearby, & she thinks the reflection is a rival or predator.

Please please please cover the shiny or reflective windows *on the outside* with a towel or blanket or black trash bag.

not attractive, but it doesn't have to be there very long, & it's life or death for this mama & her family.

Your cardinal must have babies nearby. And she thinks she's seeing her rival in your windows. You might think of something you can spray on them to make them less reflective. You can always wash it off. It will help keep her from killing herself.

She may see her own reflection and confuses that with a competitor. The other possibility is as you posited, she sees a reflection of tree leaves and branches.

You might get a clue if you have a tall step ladder. Climb up on a ladder to put your eyes at altitude and look into the windows to try to find what may be the problem. This is the first step: find the problem; and then work on a solution. It does no good to solve the wrong problem.

I accidentally found a problem with an upstairs window when I was on a ladder painting. When I looked into the window, across the room was a large dresser mirror that was reflecting the sky and tree leaves. The sense that a window was in the way disappeared and my gaze focused on the sky and clouds. This sensation goes away if the window is very dirty, but I do not advocate that. One solution might be to put something on the glass to make it stand out. An owl picture has been tried.

I had this problem a few years ago. I taped shiny pinwheels on the outside of the windows the bird was hitting bending the stem so the pin wheel could move in the wind. As long as I left them up the bird stopped. They looked bad but it was the only thing that worked.

One can tape owl silhouettes on windows to deter birds flying into them.

rob333 - you walked very tripidatiously? Great word.

Thank you all for the advice. She started this morning at 5:45. The room was dark, and it was foggy outside with no sunshine, so I don't know what she is seeing. She is not hitting the window across from where she is perching on the branch, so it seems she's not going for her own reflection, but up higher. I taped a piece of paper there, but now she's hitting the glass that's still visible beside it. I guess I'll have to haul out the ladder and put a towel over the window. I cranked open the window when she started this morning, which stopped her for awhile, but I had to close it when the sun rose and the heat started rolling in.

When I went out to tape up the paper, a male cardinal flew out of the ornamental crabapple tree, which is a few yards from that corner of the house, so maybe she's defending her food source from interlopers. Do cardinals eat crabapples? Or they could have nest anywhere on that side, where I have many shrubs and small trees.

Now that I think about it, there was a cardinal's nest in the lilac bush last year, or maybe the year before--we could look out the window above and catch glimpses of the babies, so I'll check the lilac for a nest when I go out there again.

It's almost time for the young mockingbirds to start singing all night, so the birds will be tag-teaming me. ;)

I hung a pair of off-white cotton trousers, which one of my DDs had put in the donation box, upside down over the top of the window, and had my grandson crank it shut. So far that's working, although my neighbors might be wondering what I'm up to.

OT, but in addition to seeing the goldfinch yesterday, I saw a pair of indigo buntings when I was outside earlier--the first sighting of either of those this summer. There are no nests in the lilac or the crabapple, but I think the indigo buntings must have a nest in some tall shrubs in the front yard--they were a little perturbed by my snooping.

Hope the trousers help solve the problem. That poor thing would beat at the window until she did damage to herself!

I never see indigo buntings here but would love to!

I'm keeping an eye on the window, she is still hanging out in the lilac, doing the head-cocking questioning look. and once in a while will land on the outside sill. The sun is starting to hit the windows in the front of the house, so she's switched her attention to that one. Time to go through the donation box again.

Not to worry about blood on her beak, I can see her up close, and it appears to be something black--I watched as her mate brought her one of my blueberries, so they probably have a nest nearby. I love watching birds--I'm sorry that she might be injuring herself, but the chance to see the pair up close is nice.

Mamagoose.

Walmart sells spray snow for windows, people buy it at Christmas time, and it is not difficult to remove.