Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
We have lived here since 1993 and in the last 3 or 4 years our cars have been trashed by Robin poop around this time every year. We used to allow our cats to roam outdoors at all daylight hours until a coyote took a neighbor's cat at high noon. Now our cat stays inside except with human supervision. That's why I think the Robins are around now. It's 100% the Robins doing it, no other species.
My wife parks under a carport attached to our barn. I sometimes park under the carport or in front of the barn and our son parks in front of the barn as well. The Robins seem to like dive-bombing their reflections in the car windows & mirrors and also the barn windows. Covering the mirrors with plastic bags works but that's only a small victory.
I am thinking of putting up golf ball netting to discourage the Robins activities, hoping they would feel "trapped" and avoid the area. Or is there a better, simpler and less expensive solution?
Is there anywhere else you can park? Sounds like you have a male robin who's defending its territory...and yeah...it's his reflection, but he doesn't know that. LOL
Can you turn your side mirrors in, so that maybe the bird won't notice the reflection as easily? Or maybe throwing a tarp over the vehicles to cover the mirrors?
We have lived here since 1993 and in the last 3 or 4 years our cars have been trashed by Robin poop around this time every year. We used to allow our cats to roam outdoors at all daylight hours until a coyote took a neighbor's cat at high noon. Now our cat stays inside except with human supervision. That's why I think the Robins are around now. It's 100% the Robins doing it, no other species.
My wife parks under a carport attached to our barn. I sometimes park under the carport or in front of the barn and our son parks in front of the barn as well. The Robins seem to like dive-bombing their reflections in the car windows & mirrors and also the barn windows. Covering the mirrors with plastic bags works but that's only a small victory.
I am thinking of putting up golf ball netting to discourage the Robins activities, hoping they would feel "trapped" and avoid the area. Or is there a better, simpler and less expensive solution?
Ah, spring. The simplest way to stop the problem is cover the car with some sort of light fabric. It removes the attractive nuisance (the "competitor" that attracts the robin). There are mirror covers but that won't address the windows. You could probably find cheap parachute fabric at an army surplus store. Or an inexpensive lightweight non-fitted boat cover. Just store it in a driveway trash can when its not on the car. You only need it at home. Dark heavier screen or erosion control landscaping fabric hung from the top of the barn windows would probably be enough to break up the reflection.
Is there anywhere else you can park? Sounds like you have a male robin who's defending its territory...and yeah...it's his reflection, but he doesn't know that. LOL
Can you turn your side mirrors in, so that maybe the bird won't notice the reflection as easily? Or maybe throwing a tarp over the vehicles to cover the mirrors?
We have the side mirrors covered with plastic grocery bags (ours don't turn in) but the Robin roosts on the roof & elsewhere.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Parnassia
Ah, spring. The simplest way to stop the problem is cover the car with some sort of light fabric. It removes the attractive nuisance (the "competitor" that attracts the robin). There are mirror covers but that won't address the windows. You could probably find cheap parachute fabric at an army surplus store. Or an inexpensive lightweight non-fitted boat cover. Just store it in a driveway trash can when its not on the car. You only need it at home. Dark heavier screen or erosion control landscaping fabric hung from the top of the barn windows would probably be enough to break up the reflection.
I think the tarp on the cars is going to have to suffice for now. I've already hung up aluminum pie plates and that seemed to frighten him away -- for a day and a half until he got used to it. I say "he" but it's hard to believe all that poop is from a single bird! I'll see about getting stuff to cover the barn windows, too.
We have the side mirrors covered with plastic grocery bags (ours don't turn in) but the Robin roosts on the roof & elsewhere.
I think the tarp on the cars is going to have to suffice for now. I've already hung up aluminum pie plates and that seemed to frighten him away -- for a day and a half until he got used to it. I say "he" but it's hard to believe all that poop is from a single bird! I'll see about getting stuff to cover the barn windows, too.
Its a seasonal nuisance. Nice thing about parachute fabric is that it's soft and blousy...won't scratch the finish. Lightweight, easy to handle and bundle up. If its a windy spot you might need to put something on the hems to keep it in place. Once the nuisance is removed, the bird won't poop on the car either (unless it chose to nest in a tree right overhead ). When birds are stressed they poop more, and more often. As for the barn windows, I'd attach some fabric to a lath and attach the lath to the siding or the top of the window frame. Let it flap!
Location: East of Seattle since 1992, 615' Elevation, Zone 8b - originally from SF Bay Area
44,550 posts, read 81,117,303 times
Reputation: 57750
Just two weeks ago I ordered these, and added suction cups from Hobby Lobby. I stuck one on the driver side window right above where some bird had pooped every day for 4 days, and guess what? It moved to the passenger side. I added a second one there and no messes at all since, over a week now. Of course, it's a nuisance to have to remove them when I go anywhere, but I'm hoping that the bird finds a new place and forgets my truck eventually so I can try going without them.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
Although this is a serious question.
). When birds are stressed they poop more, and more often. As for the barn windows, I'd attach some fabric to a lath and attach the lath to the siding or the top of the window frame. Let it flap!
