1.6. A wild bird is annoying me; what can I do?
Description
This article is from the Birds FAQ, by Lanny Chambers with numerous contributions by others.
1.6. A wild bird is annoying me; what can I do?
Probably little. In countries that have signed the Migratory Bird Treaty,
virtually nothing.
People often complain of birds singing loudly throughout the night. In
North America, the bird in question is often a Northern Mockingbird
(Mimus polyglottos). Posters have suggested that mockingbirds that sing
in this way are males that have been unsuccessful in finding a mate
earlier in
the season. Regardless, Northern Mockingbirds are protected by law in
the United States and Canada. Either enjoy the song or use earplugs.
The most frequent reports of bird annoyance on rec.birds are of
woodpeckers
pecking on houses. Woodpeckers peck on things for four main
reasons:
+ To find food;
+ To send a loud territorial signal;
+ To construct nest or roost sites; and
+ To store food (some species).
Try to figure out what benefit the bird is deriving from your house,
and remove it. For example, if a woodpecker is using your wall
as a sounding board, perhaps you can change the surface so that it
resonates less.
In the United States, there are certain commercial products that
purport to discourage woodpeckers by causing unpleasant sensations
on contact. I have no information on these products.
Chuck Otte suggests thin strips, 3/8 to 3/4 inch (1 to 2 cm) wide, of
mylar ribbon about 12 to 18 inches (30 to 45 cm) long tacked in the area
of damage. Obtain these from balloon shops or florists. Be sure to
remove
the strips once they are no longer necessary so as not to create litter.
In any case, any offending bird is not likely to hang around forever.
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