Hi to everyone
I am a newby on the forum and joined because I have a bit of a taxing problem and wondered whether anyone else had had the same experience?
I have a Robin in the garden behaving extremely oddly for the last week or so.He sits on a branch outside my bedroom window and sings his heart out (Very sweet),then he taps on the glass and repeatedly flies up and down it or he'll sit on the open small window and peer in at me.All very lovely but the big problem is he seems to think the whole garden belongs to him!
I have a large bird feeding station which I built to hold four large feeders and also have a bird table a few feet away.Usually the birds flock to have their fill from each station but now they are not allowed anywhere near either the table or the feeding station as the Robin constantly bombs any bird landing on or near it.He flies and warns them off vocally and does'nt take no for an answer!He'll sit on the top of the bird table not to eat,just to guard all the food.
I love all birds but I'm so upset by this behaviour as it's now that I have a group of long tailed tits waiting to feed ,as well as Great tits,blue tits,nuthatches chaffinches etc etc.It's so frustrating.
Can anyone suggest a remedy?If I put another station further away the Robin will only widen his patrol area as my bedroom window is quite a way from the bird feeders and he divebombs the birds arriving from it!
I did wonder whether the mild weather has kickstarted his mating instinct and he's advertising his masculinity so there's not much I can do but i so miss my other birdies!
Love and care for nature
Hi Nuthatch,
Welcome to the forum. I'm afraid I don't have an answer for you but I wanted to tell you that I had a similar problem in the summer but my culprit was a male blackcap. He sat on the feeding station and guarded the food just like you describe and tried to keep all the other birds away. The tits used to line up and sneak in one at a time when he wasn't looking! We had a pair of blackcaps all through the spring and summer but we didn't see any young ones at all. Eventually he stopped guarding the food supply and we didn't see him or his mate again which was a shame but at least he wasn't terrorising the other birds any more. Hopefully they are fit and well will come back again though I hope he has learned better tables manners by then!
I expect someone here will have a suggestion for you as it is a great place for new friends and tips about birds.
There is something new to learn everyday...
http://www.flickr.com/photos/skylark58/
Welcome Nuthatch!
Can't help either but as SB said, someone on here will!
"All weeds are flowers, once you get to know them" (Eeyore)
My photos on Flickr
I am not sure if this will help, but we had a robin who behaved in the same manner. We found that when we moved the bird table ( which had a roof ) to the other side of the garden, away from the feeders, the robin was happy. It spent the whole winter in the table house and no other birds were allowed near, but at least they could now get to the feeders.
Thanks to everyones comments and the welcome!
I will definetley try your suggestion Brenda and see if that makes any difference.I've just been working in the garden and it was just so odd to only have this little Robin for company, usually there's lots of companions,he even intimidates the woodpigeons!
I'll report back with my findings!
Hi Nuthatch and welcome from me also. I agree with Brenda's suggestion as being the most likely to enable you to achieve a result. I do similar for my regular grey squirrel visitor. He has his own feed and so leaves the bird food to the birds.
The necessity of bird-watching is a really good reason for avoiding all forms of housework.
The dust will still be there tomorrow - the birds may not be!
Hi Nuthatch
I would agree with the helpful suggestions offered above - by providing food in a variety of locations and methods around the garden, the less aggressive species should have much more opportunity to get at their fair share. Good luck!
Hi all,
Well I've done my best to put feeding stations at various points of the garden,which is'nt all that big really,and so far the Robin has managed to speed up and whip from one station to another like a little spitfire.
It's a good job I have a sense of humour as this morning I was woken up by the constant tapping of his beak on my window....it became a bit like Chinese water torture waiting for the next tap!!Maybe I've upset him somehow!!
It is a shame though because the garden backs onto woods and we get such a variety of birds here,wildlife too....even the fox barks for food!
Ah well I'll try different locations and maybe one will work.
Thanks again for the suggestions and again I'll report what happens
I think Mr. Robin is training you very well. We put table where it was partly hidden by a honeysuckle over the roof ( think robin felt safer). It is not quite 24 hours since you moved your table, so I think you will have to give robin more time to get used to new situation. Is it actually eating insects from around your window ? Possibly put a few seeds for it on window sill ? Have you seen other discussions on this site about robins and even how aggressive they can be (with photographs) ? Good Luck.
Hi Nuthatch - welcome to the forum - Mr. Robin sounds fantastic if a bit of a problem! I had a problem earlier this year with birds protecting certain feeds and like everyone has said I just increased the feeders spread them well out and I even have brick posts which I scatter small amounts of seed on twice a day to keep everyone moving around!!! Are we daft or what?? These things do take time tho but in the end I hope it will all work out for you. We have one feeding station by the kitchen door which only one specific woodpigon is allowed to use (we know him cos his got a gammy leg - probably from fighting!) - he sits on the roof and sees of all comers all day!
Your description of the robin's behaviour, Nuthatch, makes me think that it is attacking its own reflection in the window. Robins do hold individual winter territories, and can be extremely aggressive in the autumn time as they are re-establishing themselves in the territory having been quiet while they were moulting. This bird seems to be packed full of whatever it is that encourages territorial behaviour (can't blame testosterone I suppose since both male and female robins hold territories in winter), since it is extending the treatment to anything with wings. I wonder if it would be worthwhile you taking some cling film and covering the outside of the bit of your window that the bird is tapping. This would prevent the reflection showing, and whether it helps to calm down the spitfire impersonations round the garden, it might at least silence the early morning alarm call (or tap) and let you have a lie-in once in a while.
The suggestions about spreading the feeding sites round the garden are definitely very good. After all, however much it tries, the robin is not going to be able to defend every site all the time, which does give other birds a chance to feed. I often get a local blackbird trying to claim ownership of a pyracantha bush in my garden. While it sort of keeps other blackbirds at bay, every year it has to concede defeat when the starling flocks get in on the act.