SCOTT SHALAWAY Birds battling reflection in windows create messes

Gary Courtney of Bridgeport, W.Va., speaks for many when he writes, "I have a problem. For the past month, I have had one or two robins who insist on flying into the patio glass doors off my deck. I say flying into, but hovering into is a better description. They leave the patio glass filthy with marks from their feet. I thought they may be looking for a place to nest, but there is absolutely not one place near the patio doors to build a nest.
"Needless to say, they are keeping my deck and railing an absolute mess with waste from sitting on the ledge or deck and then flying up to the patio doors. The patio doors do face the east and do get a reflection until about noon. But it doesn't seem to make much difference what time it is. I have even draped plastic wire mesh over the outside of the doors but that doesn't deter them from flying up and into the mesh in an attempt to get to the window glass.
"I am at my wit's end. I enjoy sitting on my deck in the spring and summer and don't want this to be something to worry about all season. Please help me with a solution to the pesky problem."
Ah yes, it's the time of year when flowers bloom, frogs sing, and birds make a mess of windows. Shiny hubcaps and rearview mirrors also sometimes catch their attention. Cardinals and robins are the most common culprits, but over the years I've also had chipping sparrows, towhees and bluebirds muddy my windows.
Why they do this
Explaining this behavior is easier than stopping it, so I'll start with an explanation. As days get longer, hormonal changes make birds, especially males, aggressive and territorial. Some individuals over-react, perhaps due to a hormone imbalance or maybe a lack of a mate, and battle their own reflection. This goes on for hours each day and may last the entire breeding season. The result is muddy, messy and sometimes even bloody windows and unhappy homeowners.
The solution is to eliminate the reflections. Remove shiny hubcaps. Place paper bags over rearview mirrors while vehicles are parked in the driveway. Windows pose a bigger problem. Solutions include putting screens on every window, soaping the outside of the window, or taping paper over the outside of the glass.
The last two suggestions are obviously extreme measures, but when readers ask for ways to solve this problem, there's often desperation in their words. And, of course, when you cover one window, don't be surprised if the offending bird moves to another.
A few years ago Frank Haas, a Pennsylvania birder, was forced to address the bird and window problem. He converted his deck into an all-glass sun room and quickly realized he had created a big problem. The sun room was a bird magnet. So he developed a flexible, exterior, transparent screen that's removable for easy window cleaning.
Problem's solution
Though originally designed to protect birds from accidentally flying into windows, the "Bird Screen" is equally effective at preventing birds from battling their reflection. It's a worthwhile investment that protects both birds and windows. Price varies with window size and begins at $20. For more information, visit www.birdscreen.com.
Another common spring complaint is robin or phoebe nests built on porch light fixtures or other places they aren't welcome. Solution? Remove nests every day until the birds take the hint and move elsewhere. Otherwise, you'll be cleaning up droppings for weeks.
Hummingbird nectar follow-up: After last's week's advice from a reader to use only spring water to make nectar, I received more than a dozen e-mails from readers who have been using city water for years. The consensus is that the source of water for nectar is unimportant as long as it's pure.
Just remember the correct recipe: Mix one part table sugar to four parts boiling water (city, spring, bottled or well), cool, and refrigerate.
XSend questions and comments to Dr. Scott Shalaway, RD 5, Cameron, W.Va. 26033 or via e-mail to sshalaway@aol.com.