Feeder Positioning - A Warning

[Chris D]

We have three feeders in our garden from which our regular visitors take some 10kg of sunflower seeds every three weeks. The big feeders are away from the house in the trees but the smallest is quite close to the house so that we can watch the birds while at the kitchen sink. It is this small four 4 perch feeder that is the source of my warning.

We have had a spate of dead juvenile goldfinches and greenfinches on our decking. I have been blaming the cat for these deaths but the last few days I have been off work sick and the cat has been in the house with me, yet the deaths have continued. I am highly embarassed that it has taken me so long to realise what was happening, but as I suspect I am not the only one I thought I would post a warning here. The culprit is not my cat, it in my gleaming double glazed windows, particularly our bedroom window above the kitchen. From the position of the feeder there is a perfect reflection of the sky in the glass. With the roof above and Boston Ivy all around it looks like a route to escape whatever spooks the young birds off the feeder.

When siting your feeders please take a look up to surrounding windows and see what is reflected there. Juvenile birds may only get one chance to find out how unforgiving glass is.

My feeder now moved.

[Gandalf]

Worthy of note Chris. Thanks for the heads-up on this.

[barn owl]

Chris quite correct windows are a problem, we put stickers of birds on ours to deter the head on crashes but it still continues to happen, last week a woodpecker hit with such force i thought it must be dead but, happily it just flew on. i guess having a re-inforced skull saved it. some days when the patio doors are open blue tits fly straight in the house. i have to catch them before the cats get to them, its always a shame when you find them dead after all its us who are helping to make their lives a little easier.
regards owl.

[Kerry L]

Hi
Yes it's a sad thing, we have lost a greenfinch and a spotted woodpecker recently (both adults, strangely enough - I thought we would have had baby casualties). There are plenty of spread eagle shaped marks where the pigeons have splatted - no bodies, unfortunately, there. I have come to the conclusion that every time the windows are washed either the birds leave their marks or the rain does - I am not cleaning my windows for a while. Hah! One job less on the household list and no more little bodies!:D
Regards Kerry

[Chris D]

I notice that CJ Wildbird Food sell stickers for windows so I have adopted a belt and braces approach and ordered two for the windows nearest the feeders where there was evidence of bird strikes. The evidence being chewed sunflower seed and feathers stuck to the window!

I am pleased to report that since I moved the offendng feeder there have been no further fatalities.

[ExtraMedium]

Thanks for posting this, had a bird strike the other day, luckily no actual harm to the collared dove, just a big greasy looking smudge where it connected.

Sobering thoughts these, shall have to check more carefully in future. Was a bit extreme as there was a Sparrow Hawk visiting the garden at the time, and everything was leaving/hiding in all directions, even the squirrels! (so they do worry about them, hmmm!)

[Alastair]

Thanks Chris D, its my first year with the feeders and birds as a hobby so this is really important to me- - - I`m off to check the windows now

Best
Alastair :)

[Hil]

Even if they fly off they may die later of the shock.

http://www.rspb.org.uk/advice/watchingbirds/behaviour/birds_and_windows/index.asp

I don't clean my windows that often so I don't have too much of a problem. Net curtains or blinds can help too but they are not always desirable for aesthetic reasons.

[Kerry L]

My parents went for an early walkabout as usual last Wednesday. On returning they saw a mass of feathers all over their back garden. Turned out to be a headless pigeon. No sign of the head, but on the back of the house, all over one of the windows - mostly on the brick wall - was quite a lot of gore and it had spread all over the grass and patio too - even the contents of it's crop had spilled out. Yuk! I cannot think what caused the carnage - it doesn't fit with any bird of prey, and from the angle of splatter on the house, it couldn't have been a cat. I wondered if someone had belted the pigeon with a bat (wasn't me - I just poke them and they fly off crossing their legs, but still alive nonetheless) - it wasn't a shotgun/air gun either. They still haven't found the head!? Perhaps Ozzie has moved on from bats!?
Anyone got ideas?
Regards Kerry

[Hil]

Could be a fox?

[magnuspullus]

Yum!

I love these little guys, so much pressure and yet so much resiliance, who loses?

Answer - us all

Regards

[Kerry L]

Hi Hil and Magnuspullus
I suppose a fox is a possibility, especially as my old fogies back onto the woods. I shall invite Basil Brush over here, but I'll make sure his table manners have improved first! Mum said the gore took ages to scrub off the wall - another job for Dad. She wasn't happy this morning - a rat was sitting under their feeder as bold as brass and didn't run away when it saw them. She said it was enormous and more than twice the size of our lovely old pet rats (now deceased). So she is going to call the Council in again - I told her that where there are streams there are usually rats not far away.

Nice photo too.

Regards, Kerry

[PiratesAhoy!]

If there's a pile of feathers, chances are it's a sparrowhawk. Quite often I've found heads of collared doves detached from their bodies, and located in different parts of the garden!

[Jenny]

Hi, Kerry, would be inclined to go with sparrowhawk if there's the feathers around, although my lady sparrowhawk doesn't tend to leave heads lying. I have seen a fox "playing" with a chicken (it was dead) and that caused several feathers to fly out. Don't suppose you have mink - ours up here (no foxes) will happily take heads and nowt else!

[chilternbirder]

My late mother in law's cat was reputed to bite the heads of pigeons. He was big enough to take on a fox.

[70007]

I know this is further O/T and rather naive, but do foxes eat rats?

[magnuspullus]

Their natural food comprises worms, grubs, small mammals and birds but their success in suburban areas is very much due to the availability of discarded take-away food and food waste in accessible refuse sacks. They probably play a significant role in keeping the rat population under control.