That Darn Bird, Episode Three

It's still attacking the car mirrors. And not just cars that are here all the time, but even the mirrors of visitors' cars which are parked in the street. Catch up on episodes one and two, if you like. The Handy Husband had the bright idea of using a pair of old socks to protect the mirrors.



He took the socks off in the morning and carried them inside. When he got back to the car, guess what! The bird was there, pecking away. But the socks were over-stretched and couldn't be used again. He and Frank have been using towels, but that looks so trashy.

Frank took the towels off in preparation to wash his car. The bird, who had been stealthily laying in wait, seized his moment. When Frank turned back around with the bucket, the bird was already there.

So for this week's creative project, I made mirror cozies out of an old pillowcase. At least they are color-coordinated now.


According to what I've found on the net,

A behavior pattern often mentioned in the literature is the brown towhee's so-called "shadow-boxing," a fighting response aroused when its reflection in a shiny surface suggests the presence of another towhee in its territory. D. P. Dickey (1916) first described this action for senicula as follows: "Perching on the sill, the bird would eye his reflection, and then set systematically to work to kill the supposed rival, with all the ire and intolerance of a rutting moose." (Quote from Birdzilla.com, California Towhee Bent Life History)

Exactly.
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