Insane cardinal thinks my chics are hers??

[Oceanseve]

Anyone have any info or experience with this? I got my chics thursday afternoon, then was gone the rest of the day.... friday morning this female cardinal starts throwing herself at my chicken window, which is right off the garage where the chics are..... It is now sunday, she has been at this for THREE DAYS!! I can't think of anything else that has changed since thursday except we got chics... I haven't seen any dead birds in the yard and I searched yesterday to see if maybe a cat got her nest - nothing..... Any idea on how to run her off other than the obvious, hubby is ready to shoot the thing.

 

[Ridgerunner]

have you tried blocking the window so she cannot see in?

 

[AHappychick]

you can cut out a black siloette (sp?) of a hawk and put it in the window that should deter any wild birds.

 

[Ridgerunner]

Quote:
Or an owl. Might be easier.

 

[Knight Hawk Ranch]

The cardinal is seeing her reflection and is trying to run 'her' off from her nesting area.
You will need to cover the reflection up so she can't see it.

 

[Oceanseve]

K, I can do that, I just find it interesting the behavior coincided with me getting the chics..... We shall see if it works.....

 

[coffeelady3]

She probably heard the sound of the chicks, went to investigate and saw the reflection. That's my guess...

 

[lindseythefork]

Yup, what everyone else said: probably went to investigate and saw her reflection and is now bent on running off the other bird.

 

[pullorroo]

If she does think they are hers.... what if you let her care for them ? That would be a pretty amazing.

 

[klf73]

we had a male cardinal last year that kept attacking *himself*. He would stand on the truck and see himself in the side view mirror, he never did get rid of that other bird

I agree, it probably is her reflection.