Closing curtains and covering mirrors.

[Deleted]

How long do you need to cover mirrors and the TV and close curtains for when the buds come out to play? I have just had Echo out and he flew into the TV (didn't think to cover it) He didn't hurt himself as he seemed to pull back when he realised it was solid, kind of flapped in front of it with his wings brushing it. I would love to have him out more but it means shutting out all the light in the room, seems a shame when the lovely sunshine is coming in. If I need to do it forever that's not a problem but wondered if they ever get used to it and not try and fly at them. I should know this as I have parrots but they were all hand tame when we got them and I took them round the room and showed them all the windows and mirrors.

[Moogie]

I have bamboo blinds so all the light & sunshine still comes in,they werent very expensive atall and Elf can fly and land on them easily,maybe pick some up on ebay
I know Hezz told me that she covered her windows with paper and then over the weeks removed it bit by bit but im sure she can explain that to you alot better x

[Deleted]

We can't have blinds on the front window as it's a bay window. I will have to get some net curtains for it, at the moment it's just the big curtains we have up there so looks like there is nothing there to a bird, we get fledglings hitting them all the time in summer, they all seem OK though and fly off unscathed with a lesson under their belt. Poor little dudes. But I do hate net curtains and my dog sits on the windowsill and makes them dirty.

[alarches]

You can buy window clings to help deter wild birds from flying into the outside of the glass (as windows reflect the sky), maybe you could get some of these.

Or, do as I did and sellotape small sticks - evenly spaced - to the windows and mirrors vertically. I used old Airwick reeds, anything will do, draw mesh with felt tip pens if you want, start with 10 cms apart then keep spacing them.

It worked perfectly over 2 months and I left 3 on the window just in case for the 3rd month. Now they are all gone and the birds know.

Hope it helps

Fi

[toby]

We do not cover the windows, the birds soon get used to the idea odf there bing a barrier. just watch them and do not let them put until yjey have settlede in the cage and room. we have never had a bird injured or killed when they fly into a window, even the lovebirds fly free indoors. good luck.

[alarches]

If he's panicked and flown into the tv already I definitely agree with Toby to let him settle in the cage for at least a week.

The reason I covered the windows with mine is because a starling hit the window when I was little, it flew to the fence and we thought it had gone, but we found it on the floor in the morning Devastated! Starling probably fly faster mind you, but better safe than sorry when you do get him out again.

[stace]

I used sheets of A4 paper and cellotaped them to the windows. You don't need to cover the whole window that way. I left them up for around 6 weeks, and gradually took them down.

[Hezz]

Blutak (easier to clean off than sticky tape) sheets of paper to the windows, starting with the windows almost totally covered, and gradually (this will depend on you, how much time the birds have out and how calm they are) either over days or weeks remove some sheets each time until there is very little paper left, rearranging what is left as you go. I do it over about two weeks, but mine also have tame birds who know the territory to follow. So if you start with 8 sheets up initially, take off say 2, rearrange the remaining 6 to leave larger gaps between the sheets, and continue to do this.

[Deleted]

Thanks, some great ideas I'll give them a go. It frightens the life out of me, the thought of Echo hitting the windows, I get all tensed up when he comes out, scared stiff he will get hurt. He's getting better, I can at least get him on my had without millet and get him back to his cage now.