Hello
Can anyone suggest a solution please? About three weeks ago we noticed a pied wagtail flying at the car mirrors, obviously able to see a reflection. This was easily solved by wrapping the mirrors with carrier bags. The wagtail then turned its attention to our lounge window; it would fly up to the window and give it a fair old whack, then fly away and fly back and do the same. Drawing the curtains solved it for a while, as did standing in front of the window.
Since then, the problem has got progressively worse. Our wagtail now flies at any window, repeatedly, each time hitting it then flying round and hitting it again. I've just observed it hit the patio window eight times in 25 seconds. If we scare it it just moves round to a different window, including the upstairs windows.
Needless to say the windows are now filthy, and if drawing the curtains / waving things at the window / window stickers / scaring it don't achieve anything, do we have anything left to try?
Many thanks,
Jim Willsher
Oh dear, that's not good. I've heard that stretching clingfilm across the outside of the window will stop it and wouldn't cut out your light, though obviously it's a bit of a pain to do your whole house! We had a similar problem at my old workplace, a female Grey Wagtail constantly battering the window. Because of the way the building was we couldn't do anything about it, but she did disappear after a couple of weeks.
Thanks aiki, we'll try anything...although I do fear we'd have to do the entire house. I hope ours vanishes too - we even wondered about deporting it a few miles up the road if we could!
I wouldn't worry about cutting out the light; we're currently in the dark either due to the curtains being drawn or because of all the wagtail's "evidence" on the window....
Jim
Good luck! It's territoriality that drives this window-attacking behaviour (they think their reflection is a rival), so it does tend to happen mainly in spring, and lots of bird species have been known to do it. If nothing changes with the windows, either your wagtail will pair up and nest, or if it doesn't find a mate its raging hormones will gradually settle down - either way the window-bashing behaviour should stop of its own accord but of course both you and the wagtail would benefit if it can be stopped sooner :)
Poor you Jim!
I have this problem a lot mostly with Grey Wagtails but also with Pieds, Wrens and Crows!!
The only thing I have found that will stop them is to cover the window on the outside. However this only seems to make them move to find another window! It does stop eventually when feeding youngsters becomes a full time job!
It is usually the male that is defending his territory while the female is incubating the eggs so please do not move him away as this would deprive the female of the food he brings her and lead to her having to abandon her clutch.
Jenni