Angry Little Birds Violently Attacking Hudson Valley Homes

A strange phenomenon that would even freak out Alfred Hitchcock has been happening all around the Hudson Valley. Little yellow birds have begun violently attacking homes.

For those of you who aren't at home for most of the day, you may not even be aware of the vicious war that's being waged on your house. Perhaps you've seen some feathers or peck marks on your window frame or even noticed that your cat or dog is especially freaked out when you return home. That's all probably due to the violent attacks that have been happening for hours against your home.

I first noticed this phenomenon years ago when I was taking an afternoon nap only to be awakened by a loud pounding on my back window. I sprung up to find a little yellow bird pecking away at my window. He was fluttering his wings, squawking and stabbing his beak against the window pane. I banged on the window and he flew away, only to reappear minutes later for another attack.

These strange episodes have happened every year since, including an especially tenacious bird that has targeted my home this week. The attacks are so intense that my cat has not moved from the front window, lying in wait to put an end to the warrior bird.

After doing some research I found out that these little birds aren't actually attacking my home. Instead, they're protecting a nearby nest. It turns out that many birds, like the American Goldfinch, are extremely territorial. These birds will seek out and try to scare away predators that are within close proximity to their babies. Unfortunately, those shiny windows on your home cause the birds to see their reflection. Thinking that another bird is on their turf, they begin attacking the window.

A. Boris

According to the Audobon Society, it can be difficult to stop birds from attacking your home. Covering one window will just cause the birds to find another window in your home to attack. Putting up fake owls or other predators will only enrage the birds more, increasing their level of attack. And if you have a pet that likes to sit in the window, the birds may actively seek them out in an attempt to scare them away from the area. Even cars can be victims to the territorial birds, who peck away at mirrors and windows all day long.

Thankfully, all of that slamming against the window is not generally harmful to the bird. And that's good news because this activity can last from May until early August. So if you have a crazy bird pecking away at your house, unfortunately, there's not much you can do about it aside from naming her and marveling at the wonders of nature right outside your window.

Do you have a bird that has been attacking your house? Tell us about it in the comments section below or on our Facebook page.

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