I live in Tampa Florida. At our house, there is a cardinal who constantly flies into the window and pecks at it. Recently, it has gone to a different window on the other side of the house and exhibits the same behavior. It has been doing this for weeks. Can anyone explain this behavior?
2007-11-16 07:33:42 · 2 answers · asked by frisbinator 2 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Zoology
It seems as if the cardinal is looking at his own reflection in the mirror of the glass and is treating it's reflection like it's another male cardinal bird in it's territory.
2007-11-16 07:40:37 · answer #1 · answered by tiger b 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Normally, you'd see this when the birds are defending territories - it's a bit surprising that you have a cardinal doing this at this time of year; up here in the mid-Atlantic, Mockingbirds are about the only birds I see aggressively defending winter 'food' territories. I guess down your way Cardinals may be territorial in the 'off-season' as well. I wonder if anybody has looked at this behavior and how wide-spread it is?
2007-11-16 08:07:07 · answer #2 · answered by John R 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋