My article on BBB (Bad Bird Behavior) last week, describing birds banging into windows and car mirrors, drew a response from my friend Hal Hurka. According to his report, he may have witnessed the all-time low for bird behavior.
Hal writes: “Your case of ‘BBB’ reminded me of a time my construction company was called to investigate a woodpecker destroying a large picture window in the Keswick area. I drove out and met the owner and he showed me all the wooden muntins, the wooden dividers on the 10′ x 6′ bank of windowpanes. They were pecked to death and he had been fighting the bird for several weeks. He tried everything from a giant ‘gumby’ doll to a fake owl and hawk.”
“He even resorted to sitting in the upstairs bathroom with a shotgun and an open window waiting for the bird. Every time he was ready, the bird never showed up. He even got the game warden to capture it only to have it return several days later. The bird won, but finally gave up after the mating season.”
“I turned the $2500 estimate into the insurance company and they wouldn’t believe us until I sent the pictures of the ravaged window frame. I have never seen that much bird damage before or since.”
From Hal’s account, I guess the rest of us should be thankful that birds only bump into our windows.