A robin just flew into our patio door. It hit really hard. It left a feathers and blood on the window. It fell to the patio and it is obviously dead. It is very windy today. Did that have anything to do with it? Our window has dog prints on it- so it's not like the bird couldn't see it.
2007-11-15 05:08:40 · 9 answers · asked by Anonymous in Science & Mathematics ➔ Zoology
It depends on what the lighting was like at the time he flew into it. He may have thought he was flying into a cave or something. I've seen it happen lots of times.
2007-11-15 05:12:34 · answer #1 · answered by kj 7 · 3⤊ 0⤋
http://www.sialis.org/windowstrikes.htm explains:
"Birds collide with glass for four reasons: either they
can not see the glass at all because it is transparent (especially a problem with two windows or a window and mirror opposite each other, creating a"corridor effect")
see a reflection of the outdoors, and try to fly through what looks like unobstructed open space (the "mirror effect"), or
are attempting to defend their territory from a perceived intruder - their own reflection ("territorial strikes"). Bluebirds, cardinals, and robins typically do this. Territorial window strikes are more common in springtime, but may occur year round. During the fall, male birds often get a second flush of testosterone (called "gonadal recrudescence").
some bluebirds are just "nosey," and will cling to a window screen or will come to the window to beg for mealworms, but do not crash headlong into it. "
The article goes on to explain how to prevent birds from hitting your windows.
2007-11-15 15:36:22 · answer #2 · answered by margecutter 7 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Because I feed the birds at my house, I have a lot of mishaps with my windows.. I have tried everything I can think of to minimize it but it happens just the same. Most of the time it is when they are escaping a predator. In fact I had a coopers hawk strike the window when chasing another bird.
Most of the birds survive the crash. I have found that blowing on their face revives them faster than anything else. You must protect them while they recover so a cat or fox doesn't get them. The hawk survived but took nearly a hour to recover from the concussion.
2007-11-15 23:58:34 · answer #3 · answered by paul 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
The main reasons birds fly into windows, glass doors, etc. is because they see a reflection of the outdoors and will fly into it thinking its part of the outdoors. Most birds will hit and either recover and fly or away or get knocked out for a bit and wake later to fly away. I think because it was so windy, the bird was flying faster (if the wind was at his back) and flew into the window harder than normal. This harder impact could definitely kill him.
2007-11-15 21:46:42 · answer #4 · answered by jlilly26 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
The problem with glass windows, even dirty ones, is that it doesn't matter if their are prints or anything on them: The birds don't think "Oh, a glass window". All they see is an opening. Even if its a reflective window, or mirror, they will see clear blue skies on the other 'side' of the window. Even if they see their own reflection, they don't think, 'oh, that's me', they think 'oh, another bird, must be a good place to be.'
2007-11-15 19:28:31 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 0⤋
It IS that like the bird couldn't see it. Quite obviously.
Perhaps a boy bird was in hot pursuit, and she wanted to save her charms for another!
You don't see dog prints when you are looking for an opening at top flite speed!!!
2007-11-15 14:02:19 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 1⤋
Maybe it got distracted by something or the wind blew it. poor robin...hope he wasnt ready to lay eggs...
2007-11-15 14:02:18 · answer #7 · answered by sorenmueller 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
He was probably attacking his own reflection in the glass
2007-11-15 13:18:30 · answer #8 · answered by Funky Farmer 3 · 3⤊ 0⤋
That's awful :o( - He proabably didn't see that it was a window. . .
2007-11-15 13:18:16 · answer #9 · answered by this_girl_loves_the_80s 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋