Strange Bird Behaviour

EGAR

For three nights in a row, I have had a bird trying to get into my house through the windows. It is sitting on the outside window sill and flutters against the window every so often, trying to get in. Any try from my side to shoo it away have been futile. Tonight I even hung a towel out of the window but it ignores it. I have to turn the lights off then it goes away. I could even take a pic of it 10 minutes ago, it will not go away!!



They should be asleep now on their perches somewhere!

FranknFurter

Hang a couple of sheets of tinfoil from the window (right down flush to the ledge), they tend not to like the noise it makes.

Very weird though, you sure its not sick or injured or an escapee? (Not sure what kind it is tbh), maybe approach it an see if it lets you near.

B

EGAR

I think it's a finch but not sure which one . I can't approach it from the outside as I am in a room one floor up. It's defo not injured as it can fly.

FranknFurter

Very strange..... if you were to hold a perch (stick or summit), on front of it through the window wonder would it hop on...

B

EGAR

Good idea, I'll try that now - BRB

EGAR

Oh great, he flew into the room when I opened the window and is now perched on my wardrobe door. I am not chasing him but he is not a tame bird, I think! I can move about in the room without him freaking.

FranknFurter

Ooops!

Ironically, I think its a species of finch called "House Finch".
(80% sure)....
Not sure how common it is here, might be a kept pet from an aviary.

If your going to be up a while, maybe leave the window open see if he leaves. Turn off heating in room though, warm room = cosy sleeping place.

IF it is, im reading that its from the Western USA and does'nt migrate, so might not be a wild bird after all, and my OH is sure he has seen them at home in Texas.

B

EGAR

He is sitting about 1 1/2 meters behind me on top of the open wardrobe door and watches me with intent. My Pit Bull Bogey has elected to hide under the duvet. He is afraid of the flying thingy. Window is wide open, no heating and birdie has no intention of leaving, I think :eek: .

WHY me????

I think it's a Chaffinch: http://www.rspb.org.uk/birds/guide/c/chaffinch/index.asp

FranknFurter

Yep I think your right (looks far more like one).

Amazed it flew in though.

B

FranknFurter

Maybe try throwing a tea-towel over it and (gently) lifting it back outside?
(Somtimes had to do that with my zebra finches when one would decide to make a break for it!)

B

EGAR

Mr. Bird is fast asleep now and all my attempts to coax it back out have been repelled by him. So he can stay now til tomorrow morning and then I'll open both windows and hope for the best. I am off to bed now too, with a dog and a bird .

Strange happenings tonight...

brianmc

It may be a captive bred bird that has escaped. There are a lot of native birds kept by enthusiasts around the place, legally or otherwise.

If you can find a bird cage with a springy door on it you can make a hook from a paper clip to hold the door open and tie a string to the clip. Stick a bit of bird seed inside and when he enters the cage pull the string to release the hook. There'll be a bit of a flutter for a second but if he seems to settle in the cage after a while he is more than likely captive bred and despite his legal status is probably better off in somebodies aviary than out in the wild.

It's definitely a chaffinch by the way. Very common in Ireland.

HelterSkelter

Any updates on this?

Sigma Force

Aww he's lovely, has he had anything to eat or drink?
It's a male Chaffinch methinks according to the ould book. They have bluish/grey head, white wing patches and a pinkish underpart. When he's in flight does he have a moss green rump?
They are about 6 inches in length.

They normally move from woodland to farmland in winter time. Breeds from April to July 3-5 eggs pale blue with darker spots. Incubation from 11 to 13 days. Young fledge after 12 to 15 days.

They feed mainly on a diet of insects in spring and summer and seeds and berries during the rest of the year.

Mabey the bad weather has messed with him or perhaps there has been building going on somewhere and they have ripped out his perching place.
Or mabey he's just unique

brianmc

Male Chaffinch - 100% certain.

They're normally very shy of people which is why they're not so easily recognised. They're everywhere if you watch closely.

It will be hungry now. Canary seed is the best simple option.

lightening

brianmc wrote:

Male Chaffinch - 100% certain.

They are a restricted breed, your bull terrier is right!!!

OUT A MUZZLE ON IT!

lightening

sorry, thought it was a bullfinch.

EGAR

Hehehe, Bull Finch would have been more befitting here

He spent the night in my bedroom and I slept in it as well. This morning he hopped about on the floor and looked at me as if to say: About time, too ! I evicted him with the help of a dish towel and he hung about the house all day. There is no reflection off the windows from the outside. I am living here for years and never had a *problem* like that. And he never starts to try and get in until it's past midnight! I am curious to see now if he will be back!

HelterSkelter

So did he come back last night?

DublinWriter

BUMP!

Whatever happened to the bird in the end?

Puddles

I had that trouble about 2 weeks ago. Our bathroom is downstairs and there was a bird that kept fluttering into it. When I would go outside to discourage it from hurting itself off the window, he would just fly up on top of the shed and look at me out of the corner of his eye. It was like he was just waiting for me to go back in so that he could resume flying into the window. Have no clue what thats about. Only thing we could think of was that it was his reflection in the glass that he could see???

Nala

He could well be an escaped pet.

Would you not just keep him inside?

Puddles

I have cats, so keeping a bird inside would be impossible. I just don't want the bird to hurt himself.:(

artieanna

a bird and cats definitly don't mix...

I can just see the mahem that would cause:D

EGAR

Sorry for dragging up this old thread BUT...


We have November and it is pitch black outside and guess what?? Another bird at my window trying to get in, this time it's the window to the front and this time it is a Robin.
And he wont go away...

macshadow

EGAR, I think the finch told the robin about you:D
All you have to do is tap at the window and she'll let you kip in the wardrobe.

Back Stabbath

A beuatiful little male Chaffinch! You're so lucky! I would love to have him here. Perhaps leave some raisins or seeds ouside for him and maybe he'll stay out.


Good luck!

kerrysgold

wow, they like you lol! do you have feeders outside for them? we feed the chaffinches here, they are very pretty, they are practically the same as bullfinches but the beaks are quite different.

I had a jug of peanuts inside on the windowsill during the summer and when I can inside there was a greenfinch sitting in the jug! I picked him out and put him outside but sadly I found him dead in the evening. I think it was because he was eating very hungrily from the feeder and also from the jug so the only thing that I can think of that killed him was maybe that he choked on a nut or something.