Advice on Mockingbird problem needed ASAP!

Hi Folks,

Has anyone out there had any luck with getting rid of an annoying Mockingbird without hurting/killing it??

Unfortunately a pair have been hanging out in a tree very near my bedroom window and besides doing their crazy calls almost all day, they appear to be gathering things to make a nest, which means they'll be here for a while - oh no!

The tricky issue is the tree is on someone else's property...

So if anyone has any ideas/suggestions about how I might get them to "move on" and away I would greatly appreciate it! :idea:

Frazzled and sleepless,
Rhonda

Try hanging a strong magnet or electromagnet as close to the tree/nest as you can get it. Birds that fly use the Earth's magnetic field as a navigation guide, and a strong magnet interferes with that sense. It's like a strong smell to a human. It does not hurt them (well, maybe if they get lost...) but it does make the area less than cozy.

A few years ago Real Goods carried a product called "Bye Bye Birdie" which is basically a large magnet in a shiny housing. The product blurb claimed that magnets had been used -- successfully -- to keep seagulls out of landfills! If that's the case, they should help convince your mockingbird pair to find new digs. If you try it, please let us know how it worked.

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Posted in reply to the post by gardenorganic:

Has anyone out there had any luck with getting rid of an annoying Mockingbird without hurting/killing it??

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Posted in reply to the post by gardenorganic:

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So if anyone has any ideas/suggestions about how I might get them to "move on" and away I would greatly appreciate it! :idea: ...

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i really cant believe im reading this, i sleep with earplugs all the time they work great especially the 33 decibel ones i just reuse em bring em to concerts, when travelling in the rainforest,anywhere, im sure the bird is trying to figure out how to remove the annoying human, who's home is it?you if you cannot sterilize your headspace then dont sterilize the environment please, we need fertility

First off, I do agree it is better to get used to the noise, I lived next to a train track once with a 3 am train every other day, didn't take long... but another thing is those plastic owls that people put in gardens, on boats, ect... just a thought, get some sleep. Peace, tezor.

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Posted in reply to the post by tacitus:

From a friend who's knowledgeable about birds:

The Northern Mocking bird is a common permanent resident of Sonoma County.I don't know why anyone would hang a magnet to disrupt the migration pattern when it's not migrating. It's spring so they are building nests and doing their mating, so it is a temporary thing.

Unfortunately, she didn't see the part where you indicated they were making a nest. I sent a post just now to clear this up.

Dian

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try the wax earplugs, or just exercise more, ive slept right next to live concerts without any earplugs after dancing the night away

see (via googling): https://www.dnr.maryland.gov/wildlife/abmockbird.html

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I am sorry that the negatives you have exceed the positives of these birds presence. When I lived in Berkeley one I estimate about 50-100 feet away could hear, through my single small open bedroom window, my generic-sound alarm clock (cute "beep" x 4), and sang it back to me several times over 2 years.

We always have mockingbirds year-round in our place in downtown Santa Rosa, singing whenever the weather approaches nice. Their presences indicate that like the canary in the mine, all is at least liveable nearby, so I keep keenly aware of their activities, for that & many reasons. They have voracious appetites, so having them present is a great positive on getting rid of bugs we don't want around. I've only seen them eating berries extremely rarely. They are obviously very intelligent, know who should be living where, and treat us as commensal symbionts. They're not particularly fond of scrub jays, but who is?

So you CAN give the mockingbirds the hint that they are not wanted, by being direct & rude to them, (use gestures and talk directly to them, looking at them in the eye, as to a human), like you could to any homeless person, and they will get the idea & leave. No guarantees that another mockingbird or 2 won't try again in a few months or years, given that you live in a place which they too find basically attractive.

I really appreciate the thoughtful suggestions from all who responded, and I'd also like to say that if there was ever a person who respects/loves Mother Nature and all her creatures, and who has worked for years, relentlessly to save/help in whatever way she can, it's me! So "Ouch!" to those judgements!

And like the previous post (thank you) some of us including me, cannot wear ear plugs. Mostly, this is a huge issue because I am ill, and the lack of sleep/rest is affecting my healing...and although I would love to go out and exercise heavy duty to help with sleep, I can't for the same reason. (although would love to!)

I just wanted to see if the bird could be deterred to move to another tree, and I could get the rest/sleep I so desperately need. Hey all you healthy, sleep-easy people: please know how lucky you are!

Blessings to All, including the bird! And thanks again for the suggestions.

No Problem!
Just when you hear the mocking bird "singing" put on a warm bathrobe, go out and sit on a bench or a stump about 25 ft. away ,and start to whistle as loud as you can , try to imitate the bird's calls.
Do this every night for about a week during springtime,and if you are lucky,the mocking bird may imitate one of YOUR calls! this will mean the bird has fallen in love with you, and trouble will begin to brew in the nest!
If you do this every year the Mocking bird, who's families have been blessing your valley or hillside with their sacred song for centuries MAY
elect to make you an honorary member of the royal society of mocking bird sympathizers . at which point you will forever after take delight in their beautiful song. or get some earplugs and leave the bird alone!
Good Luck,I wish you could tell the bird to come where we live and sing,but I don't think they like freeways, by the way, know any way to get sirens or helicopters to shut up...and then there's those Harleys.
Nico:Um-smile:

{edit}oops ok I just read the other postings sorry if I sounded sarcastic
But once YEARS ago I moved next to a chicken coop in Hessel talk about birds! 200 roosters at 5 am every morning, how was I to sleep? the problem lasted about a week then the mind "Tunes out" the roosters and we sleep.

another instance was living in a primitive Huichol Indigenous village in the high desert mountains of mexico. Little dogs had a high pitched problem with some night sounds around once every half hour, then as they chilled off went the donkeys, then the roosters who didn't seem to have a keen sense of when morning was and kids and grownups laughing , talking loudly, drunk or singing for the love of it at all hours especially around 3 am
then the dogs again,etc. as you said I was going CRAZY then I just learned to relax and "assimilate the sounds, they are nature, I am nature maybe I ll go outside and holler! Again good luck!!:wink:

I guess I'm lucky. Whenever the mockingbirds sound off around our house, the local scrub jays swoop in & chase them off. Where I'm lucky is that I like the sound of scrub jays. My wife disagrees.

I wish you could send them over to our house. I love to listen to mocking birds sing - I think their songs are beautiful and relaxing. When I moved from Boulder to Los Angeles, I was freaked by all the noise day and night, and the lack of mother nature. Then a mocking bird moved into my back yard and sang all night long. That bird saved me. His(her) voice gently lulled me off to slumber night after night. And when I woke up in the night I felt safe and comforted by the song being sung to me.

A few years ago I had the pleasure of having a mockingbird arrive in my neighborhood. It started in between 12:30 & 1:00 one night.

I lived in Suburbia at the time so I was very close to each neighbor; sides and back. I had a friend over and we were on our way to bed when the bird started singing. I thought it was wonderful.

Just as I got out of the shower, my phone was ringing. I couldn't catch it but could hear a message. Again, this was 1:00 in the A.M.. I went and listened to the message and it was my neighbor next door. She had previously had problems with my lights being on in my bedroom and keeping her up (my shades were drawn). :hmmm: The message went something like this. "Would you please turn off that "thing" that keeps going off in the backyard!". Hmmm? I opened my backdoor and looked out expecting to see sparks or something but I saw nothing so I called her.

I asked what it was the was going off because I was very concerned about some hazard and she said the noise. I thought about it and realized she was talking about the mockingbird. She thought I had a speaker out there! I could not convince her it was a bird because it made a different call each time. I told her to go back to bed. I was amazed.

I then got in bed and turned on my sound machine. I never heard another thing. They are worth their weight in gold. Barking dogs, no problem. Loud parties, no problem. Mockingbirds, no problems!

I later teased the husband and said people from Wisconsin evidently didn't know what a bird sounded like. He said that they knew a bird still not convinced. I laughed every night for the next couple of months when like clock work at 12:30 to 1:00 A.M. the mockingbird would start up and it never made the same sound twice. I never heard a peep out of my neighbors about the bird again.

Nico has the best advice, I think. The mockingbird's sound is unique, and imitative and somewhat intelligent. That is one reason it catches our ears, it is never quite the same, always changing. It is hard to ignore it.

But I agree that whistling with one is a wonderful challenge. It will develop your abilities, that is for sure. And at least it gives you a handle on what you are dealing with. An intrusive bird? Or a defensive Momma? Or a musician in training? You decide.

Anyway, try some other intrusive sounds on for size and then come back to Mockingbirds. Get some perspective. "Nurture Nature or it will Neuter You."

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Posted in reply to the post by nicofrog:

No Problem!
Just when you hear the mocking bird "singing" ...

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We tried the big magnet in our fruit orchard and it seemed to give the bluejays, etc., the hint to go away and eat somewhere else. However, since I did not do any statistical tallying or analysis, I'm certainly not claiming that a magnet is a slam-dunk solution or works 100%, etc.

Depending on the size and strength of the magnet, their effective area is a pretty small sphere, somewhere in the neighborhood of a 10 ft. radius. Therefore, a magnet out in the yard or tree will do nothing to disrupt or otherwise interfere with migration. It just creates a small area that is uncomfortable for flying birds.

Birds can absolutely detect a strong local magnetic field. A few years ago on a science/nature show, there was some footage of a flock of cranes responding to an electromagnet about 50 feet away being turned off and on. When the e-mag went on, they all cocked their heads toward it and changed position, just like iron filings next to a magnet. A geologist had discovered this phenomenon by accident when he was using a device with an e-mag to do some readings. He noticed that when he turned the e-mag on, the birds on the other side of the lake responded. They did not have this response to other actions, movements, noises, etc.

A fake owl, especially one that moves, or other traditional scarecrow methods are worth trying as well. It sounds like what everyone wants to avoid is recurring noise or something that would harm the birds -- or anything else.

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Posted in reply to the post by Clancy:

I respectfully doubt birds care a whit about a hanging magnet. It's probable they use the earth's magnetic field for migration, but that is quite different than going to and from their nest, and the earth's magnetic field is many orders of magnitude stronger than any manmade magnet.

A fake owl placed in the tree or a mirror might be a much better deterent.

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OK while we are on chasing birds away, anyone know how to discourage a pair of nesting sharp-shinned hawks? We have a delightful colony of nesting squirrels in our little neighborhood and we are afraid the hawks are eating them all - or at least scaring them off. also, the birds have decreased since the hawks have made their presence loudly known.

I used to think it was cool to spot hawks until I realized they were eating our precious squirrels and song birds....probably not much we can do, but any ideas welcome... (no guns please!)

I would LOVE to have a mockingbird nearby. I am a very light sleeper but learned to sleep through a cable car going right under my window when I lived in SF.

Just one more thing i'd add to the advice: If anyone ever does use an owl or cat shape suspended by a rope
so it moves, it works best if you make the eyes of something that releases light over night (& highly reflective.)

ok everybody is complaining about the noise.. I have a mockingbird that keeps attacking my cat and i dont know what to do about it. My cat cant even walk 5 feet without being divebombed any suggestons???

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Posted in reply to the post by off2socal:

ok everybody is complaining about the noise.. I have a mockingbird that keeps attacking my cat and i dont know what to do about it. My cat cant even walk 5 feet without being divebombed any suggestons???

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I'd never heard of this. I thought you were going to complain about the constant singing. I had a Mockingbird copy the song of the Swainson's Thrush I had put on my answering machine one year.

Parent birds do that to protect their young. It seems pretty admirable to me. I'm sure your cat will survive. In fact, I have never seen a cat killed by any songbird, despite the fact that such killing would be completely justified.

Are people really complaining about the noise? Earplugs are cheap.
Your mockingbird is protecting his/her young from a dangerous predator. The behavior is to discourage your cat from being near the nest. If you don't want your cat attacked, keep it inside until the nesting season is over. Mockingbird babies are susceptible to hawks, crows, owls, ravens, domestic cats, raccoons, foxes, possums and tree-trimming humans. Give 'em a chance.

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Posted in reply to the post by off2socal:

ok everybody is complaining about the noise.. I have a mockingbird that keeps attacking my cat and i dont know what to do about it. My cat cant even walk 5 feet without being divebombed any suggestons???

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Another way to think of this is that your cat is getting a great lesson. It happens at my house every spring and one year I watched as one mockingbird teased Jamaica out from under my car. Each time she came out, the bird's mate would dive bomb her and she would run back under the car. Prior to this, she had caught a few birds.

After: Never ever again.

This only happens in the spring and it is a great service to all other songbirds. With luck, it will turn your cat's attention away from critters than fly to those that burrow, i.e., gophers.

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Posted in reply to the post by paulswetdog:

Parent birds do that to protect their young. It seems pretty admirable to me. I'm sure your cat will survive. In fact, I have never seen a cat killed by any songbird, despite the fact that such killing would be completely justified.

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Keep your cats inside during nesting season:

Baby Songbirds
By Veronica Bowers
It’s Spring and our feathered neighbors are busy building nests and raising families. Wild birds live among us in our gardens and parks, natural and urban areas. Some birds nest high up in trees, others nest low to the ground, some use nest boxes and others share our human dwellings.

Baby songbirds are vulnerable and sometimes they are genuinely in need of human assistance, but how can you tell? Baby birds go through many stages of growth and development before they become independent and no longer require the care of their parents. Their behavior and need for parental care varies at each stage of development.

If you encounter a baby bird that you suspect may need to be rescued, some knowledge of the development of baby songbirds is helpful. Hatchling songbirds are naked, featherless, and helpless; their eyes are closed during the first few days of life. At this stage, they are in the nest, not on the ground. Without the constant care of their parents, they will quickly die of hypothermia and starvation.

Nestling songbirds are still nestbound and very dependent on their parents for care, but their eyes are open and they are vocal at this stage. Their bodies will be covered in pin feathers (feathers which are just developing and still covered in a keratin sheath). Older nestlings will have mostly feathered bodies, but their tail and wing feathers are still growing in. The length of the nestling stage for songbirds varies from species to species, but is usually 10-14 days from the time they hatch.

Swallows and swifts are an exception as they remain in the nest until they are approximately 21 days of age. Nature’s plan for baby songbirds is for them to grow quickly so they can leave their nest quickly. As prey species, the longer they’re in the nest, the more vulnerable they are to predators.

Fledgling is the stage of development that we receive the most calls about at The Songbird Hospital during the baby bird season. It is important to know that most songbirds leave the nest BEFORE they’re able to fly. In much the same way human toddlers crawl before they can run, songbirds hop and walk around on the ground before they’re able to fly.

The only exceptions to this are SWALLOWS and SWIFTS – these birds are flight capable when they are ready to leave the nest on their own. The majority of fledgling songbirds are well feathered on their body with short wing and tail feathers. They’re able to stand, walk and hop and they may be able to make short flights from branch to branch or from the ground up to low branches. They are vocal and mobile, but still dependent on their parents for care. During this stage they are commonly observed on the ground, out in the open, on branches, in bushes – they’re all over the place!

Although the parents may not be with their fledgling every second of the day, they remain in vocal contact at all times. Additionally, the location where you observe the baby is the parent’s territory, so mom and dad are always nearby. It will take a few days to a full week before young songbirds can fly well enough to attempt to keep up with their parents and evade danger. They are vulnerable and naïve at this age.

If you have outdoor cats, the kindest thing you can do for the birds is keep your cats indoors. Or at the very least, keep cats indoors during breakfast and dinner time or until fledgling songbirds are fully flight capable. So, what do you do if you find a baby bird?

Now that you know a little about their normal development, here are some steps to follow that will help you determine when a baby bird may need your help.
1. Is the bird sick or hurt? Is it bleeding, unable to flutter its wings or stand, weak, shivering, covered with insects? If yes to any of these, bring the baby to The Songbird Hospital ASAP.
2. Did the bird have contact, or suspected contact, with a cat? Bring the bird to The Songbird Hospital ASAP. Cats have bacteria in their mouth and claws that is lethal to birds.
3. Is it a hatchling on the ground? If it is a hatchling, bring it to The Songbird Hospital ASAP. To rescue or not to rescue? That is an excellent question!
4. Is it a nestling on the ground? If it is a warm healthy nestling, can you find the nest? If yes, put the baby back in the nest and observe the nest from a distance for one hour. If the parents return to care for the baby, everything is okay. If the parents do not return after one hour, or you cannot find the nest, call The Songbird Hospital ASAP for further advice. 5. Is the baby a healthy fledgling, hopping around and vocalizing? Make sure the area is clear of pets and people. Are the parents caring for the baby? Watch the baby for one hour, non-stop. If the parents are caring for the baby, everything is fine and you can leave the area. After careful observation, if the fledgling is truly orphaned, bring it to The Songbird Hospital ASAP.
6. Is it a healthy fledgling in an unsafe place, like the middle of the street? It is okay to move the baby to the nearest bush, or low tree limb. Birds have a poor sense of smell, so the parent birds will not abandon their baby if a human has touched it.
7. Is it a swallow or swift on the ground and unable to fly? Bring it to The Songbird Hospital ASAP. To safely transport a bird to The Songbird Hospital, prepare a container, such as a shoe box lined with a soft cloth. Make sure the box has a lid and ventilation holes. Carefully place the baby in the box, put the lid on and keep the baby warm, dark and quiet. Do not offer it any food or water. Bring it to The Songbird Hospital ASAP.

The Songbird Hospital is a program of Sonoma County Wildlife Rescue. We are located at 8050 Elphick Road in Sebastopol. We are a non-profit, allvolunteer organization. Please contact us at (707) 484-6502, or visit us www. songbirdhospital.org Please remember that all native songbirds are federally protected and can only be cared for by a wildlife rehabilitator that is licensed by the California Department of Fish and Game and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife. Songbirds have very specific dietary needs, requirements for housing, care and release back to the wild. To ensure the best chance for survival and release back to the wild, please bring injured, orphaned and ill wildlife to a licensed wildlife rehabilitator so that the animal receives proper medical care by a trained professional.

Veronica Bowers, Director The Songbird Hospital of Sonoma County Wildlife Rescue www.songbirdhospital (707) 484-6502

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Posted in reply to the post by vdeva:

I'd never heard of this. I thought you were going to complain about the constant singing. I had a Mockingbird copy the song of the Swainson's Thrush I had put on my answering machine one year.

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I've done some personal research into mockingbirds and found they are fiercely territorial and protective against any threat. Even red-tail hawks won't mess with them. I'm surprised they have a thing about the cat, but there must be a perceived threat. And I'm with you on the song; it's beautiful and fascinating, but gets repetitive and insistent after a while, like an exotic cel tone that won't quit ringing. They own the territory, you just happen to live in it. A lesson for all of us...

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Posted in reply to the post by vdeva:

I'd never heard of this. I thought you were going to complain about the constant singing. I had a Mockingbird copy the song of the Swainson's Thrush I had put on my answering machine one year.

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Cat karma at work? How many birds have fallen prey to domestic cats? Finally, JUSTICE! Alfred Hitchcock would be proud...

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Posted in reply to the post by gardenorganic:

Hi Folks,

Has anyone out there had any luck with getting rid of an annoying Mockingbird without hurting/killing it??

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You might try hanging long, thin strips of reflective Mylar around the area. Rice growers use these strips to keep blackbirds out of their fields.

Be very grateful that you don't have Kookaburras in your yard. If you think a Mockingbird is annoying....

Must be a nest nearby. I'd call the bird rescue people for advice.

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Posted in reply to the post by vdeva:

I'd never heard of this. I thought you were going to complain about the constant singing. I had a Mockingbird copy the song of the Swainson's Thrush I had put on my answering machine one year.

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Can't you just learn to live with this inconvenience for the nesting season? We are encroaching upon the habitat of many wild creatures, forcing them to live in close proximity to humans. Given a choice, I'm sure that they would prefer not to live in your backyard. However, mockingbirds have EVOLVED to live in neighborhoods because we have usurped their historic habitat. The survival of many songbirds is at great risk. We should all do our part to assure that they are able to raise sucessful broods.

Many of these suggestions to discourage the birds from nesting are unethical if not outright illegal. If you want information about what is allowable, consult with the Calif. Dept. of Fish and Game.

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Posted in reply to the post by Star Man:

You might try hanging long, thin strips of reflective Mylar around the area. Rice growers use these strips to keep blackbirds out of their fields.

Be very grateful that you don't have Kookaburras in your yard. If you think a Mockingbird is annoying....

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Record the sounds of various raptors such as a red-tail hawk, or Peregrin Falcon off the internet, make a loop, and play the file loudly on a good quality speaker outside ONLY when you see him. He will soon leave your neighborhood alone (As will most smaller birds if you play the file too much, such as when he isn't there).

Works on Starlings in vineyards quite effectively...

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Posted in reply to the post by Karen the KAT:

I'm once again shocked at the way people are insensitive to other people, but will go to the ends of the Earth to protect a single bird.........
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No comment on the politics KAT, but I do have to agree with you that, at least in my case, I responded without really relating to the sleep difficulty this is causing for gardenorganic, and went right into my own thoughts about mockingbirds. Once I find some useful and practical ideas -- which would be the true request that gardenorganic made -- I'll pass them along. So, even though you did it in a roundabout way, you did bring the value of compassion into the thread. Thanks for that.

The post that started this thread is from March, 2007, so it is likely safe to assume that the original problem sorted itself out, with, I hope, healing sleep for the troubled human and fledged youngsters for the mockingbirds . It would be interesting to know how the situation resolved itself so if someone does know, please, tell us.

The various political posts that have arisen on this thread have been split off to a new thread:

https://www.waccobb.net/forums/wacco...on-reagan.html

SUPER SOAKER WATER GUN

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Posted in reply to the post by Brutalful:

SUPER SOAKER WATER GUN

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Great idea! It works on KATs real well.

LOL!

I seem to remember mockingbirds divebombing my Grandmother's big gray tomcat in her backyard years ago and never thought much about it till now.

I apparently have two mockingbirds nesting in a wisteria in the middle of my front yard in northwest Florida. The last three days I've gotten divebombed just going within 10 feet of it to prune out dandelions and have had to warn my mail carrier as well to use my driveway. My neighbor across the street has a birdhouse in the crook of his tree and he spent the day today getting bombed while he was trying to refinish furniture in his driveway. He just ignored them but this is really getting annoying.

I will say that I AM a birdlover, and have a feeder in my backyard I'm always chasing the squirrels away from, and have loved the cardinals, jays, chickadees, brown thrashers, morning doves, woodpeckers, and finches it attracts, ( not to mention a house sparrow, bluebirds, and a "golden-rumped warbler"; somebody from Audubon probably got sued for that one, lol).

My problem is it's in the middle of my front yard, and the grass is beyond needing to be cut. My brother suggested a panama hat. Taking the cue from my neighbor seems like its best to just ignore them. But that flapflapflap in your ear as they go by can be a little unnerving, and I won't hear it over the lawnmower. Will these things nip somebody, or are they more bark than bite?

I have never heard of a mockingbird actually attacking anyone. They are simply trying to warn you to stay away from their nest. This behavior will end as soon as the youngster fledge, which should be quite soon. If you must mow your lawn before then, take your brother's advice and wear a brimmed hat.

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Posted in reply to the post by Sooner4949:

... The last three days I've gotten divebombed just going within 10 feet of it to prune out dandelions and have had to warn my mail carrier as well to use my driveway....

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Much ado over nothing. We humans, thinking this planet is ours and expecting other species to work around our agendas.

Short of a water buffalo charging through the kid's nursery, leave well enough alone.
The birds young will be flying away pretty soon. Grin and bear it.

Video the antics and put them on YouTube. :):

I recall as a child watching a mockingbird attack our cat and hitting her on the base of her tail and she ran hopping and jumping into our house. I loved that cat, but thought it was great that the parent bird was protecting it's young :thumbsup:in a rather benign way...just the cat's dignity was hurt.

That's cool about the cat. What does scare me is when hawks circle my chickens and dive bomb the half grown chicks. I have lost so many chickens to the hawks I feel like I need to give them an offering of a dead turkey (or maybe a dozen baby rats) before I open the door to the coup.

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Posted in reply to the post by patzy:

Much ado over nothing. We humans, thinking this planet is ours and expecting other species to work around our agendas.

Short of a water buffalo charging through the kid's nursery, leave well enough alone.
The birds young will be flying away pretty soon. Grin and bear it.

Video the antics and put them on YouTube. :):

I recall as a child watching a mockingbird attack our cat and hitting her on the base of her tail and she ran hopping and jumping into our house. I loved that cat, but thought it was great that the parent bird was protecting it's young :thumbsup:in a rather benign way...just the cat's dignity was hurt.

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I totally sympathsize.... "my" mocking bird has been coming back to the telephone pole outside my window for about 3 years now, oy, and at one point I thought I'd go completely mad. I got a long bamboo pole and tied a big, bright, pink feather duster to the end of it and chased it around til I dropped. It just flew to the next pole... and on and on. The blue jays help out sometimes and take over its perch, chasing it away. I am humbled. Good luck.

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Posted in reply to the post by off2socal:

ok everybody is complaining about the noise.. I have a mockingbird that keeps attacking my cat and i dont know what to do about it. My cat cant even walk 5 feet without being divebombed any suggestons???

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Put a bell on the mockingbird!:wink: :meditate:

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Posted in reply to the post by nicofrog:

Put a bell on the mockingbird!:wink: :meditate:

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:thumbsup:

Big Smile:lol2:

The first recording I ever bought was "Bo Diddley". The second was a record I picked up at the Museum of Natural History book shop called "The Vocally Versatile Mockingbird". What a treat to be able to hear this amazing mimic spend 22 hours a day trying to attract a mate. How many humans can make the same claim? There was a professor at Sonoma State (Dr. Arnold) who's license plate spelled "MIMUS" in honor of mimus polyglottus. I think you should revel in being blessed with one of nature's auditory wonders and be happy you're not exposed to jackhammers, chainsaws, air brakes, and the overwhelmingly oppressive noise pollution created by we hominids.
Or you could get a pet McCaw or cockatoo and they'll drown out everything!

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Posted in reply to the post by patzy:

:thumbsup:

Big Smile:lol2:

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Posted in reply to the post by sd gross:

The first recording I ever bought was "Bo Diddley". The second was a record I picked up at the Museum of Natural History book shop called "The Vocally Versatile Mockingbird". What a treat to be able to hear this amazing mimic spend 22 hours a day trying to attract a mate. How many humans can make the same claim? There was a professor at Sonoma State (Dr. Arnold) who's license plate spelled "MIMUS" in honor of mimus polyglottus. I think you should revel in being blessed with one of nature's auditory wonders and be happy you're not exposed to jackhammers, chainsaws, air brakes, and the overwhelmingly oppressive noise pollution created by we hominids.
Or you could get a pet McCaw or cockatoo and they'll drown out everything!

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You won't find me complaining about any other species vocalizing. I wasn't complaining I was amused at the thought of belling the bird..good luck!

I live very rurally and cherish every sound and vision.:heart:

When I read Rachel Carson's book "Silent Spring," it changed the way I view all of nature. Admittedly, Mockingbird's are highly vocal but I think quite wonderful in their own way. Why not accept them as a vital part of the ecological web of which we are all a part of and make some peace with them? They have a right to be here and to live their lives as each of us has.

For the last three years we've had a "vicious" mockingbird in our backyard - it would attack one of the feral cats, but not the other - they are nearly identical tabbys, but the bird could tell which one was the hunter. However, this year is different - we're blessed with a virtuoso mockingbird that sings its heart out all day long and most of the night - and ignores both cats - and us! It was worth the wait and hassle. May future years bring such song to everyone...

Haven't slept well in more than six days and I found that a Daisey pellet gun model 2730 works the best. Not only did it solve the annoying singing at all hours of the night but it prevented anyone else from having the same problem, from at least the same bird. Unless this birds name was Lazarus :) LOL

Don't get me wrong, I love birds, medium well.

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Posted in reply to the post by killer522:

Haven't slept well in more than six days and I found that a Daisey pellet gun model 2730 works the best. Not only did it solve the annoying singing at all hours of the night but it prevented anyone else from having the same problem, from at least the same bird. Unless this birds name was Lazarus :) LOL

Don't get me wrong, I love birds, medium well.

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Oh yeah about 7 or 8 pumps should finish him off. Don't try to scare the bird it just makes it worse. These birds seem to understand who their enemies are on site so if you don't want to be attacked by one just finish him off the first time. Pluck em and crock pot them for at least four hours o medium is the best way to show you care about the environment. No Haste No Waste! :wink:

It's a very confusing story, where the dog brought in 2 mockinbirds, one at a time, and I can't find the second one THAT WAS CRAWLING WITH BUGS!!!

At one point I picked it up before I saw them, and a zillion bugs went up my arm - I felt them more than saw them.

I DROPPED IT on the rug - and ran to get a sheet to cover it with to get it to the garbage... when I got back the bird was gone! I don't know where it went...thought it might be hidden in the folds of the sheet I dropped it on?

I washed and dried the sheet - no baby bird.
I was itching all over, so showered, my dog is on Revolution, and doesn't seem to be itching, but I still am.

Where is that bird? Newborn, almost dead in my puppy's mouth - gone??

What about the rug? Me? Don't know what to do!

I see this thread is very dead, but just had to comment. I am an animal lover, believe me, and have always liked it when birds build nests in my trees. But this mockingbird has come back year after year and built terrible nests that fall out of the tree, my cats and dogs worry the dead babies, or eat the eggs, and sometimes they make it to almost be able to fly and take cover in my tomato plants. It's sickening and heartbreaking, but I can't help them. I tried to put one back in the nest one day and the daddy dive-bombed me in the back - hurt so bad I cried.

Same tree every year, always dismal failures. I hate them - hate what I have to deal with, and this time, my puppy brought the dead babies in the house and one was covered with bugs that I didn't see until they were all over my hand, running up my arm. It's just horrible, and now I can't find the one that was buggy - they are so small you can only see them teeming in the thousands all over things.

Don't know what to do, every year it seems to get worse.

You really "hate" these birds that are only doing what they have been programmed to do for thousands of years? You really have to get a grip if the worst thing that happens to you on a given day is your domestic animals bringing in a dead wild creature that has icky-icky bugs on it. This place is rural. These birds have as much right to be here as you. If your cats are killing birds, keep them inside. Maybe you have too many cats and dogs. Be a good neighbor to the wild animals to offset the effects of your own animal ownership.

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Posted in reply to the post by mitzkity:

I hate them - hate what I have to deal with...

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Reading between the lines, so to speak, it seems to me that you don't hate these birds. You hate what happens and you hate how that makes you feel. I can understand that.

My first thought is about the tree. Once the mockingbirds leave, is it possible for you to trim it or have someone trim the tree in such a way that the birds will be more successful the next time around? Perhaps you can talk to someone at Wild Birds Unlimited about what they might need as far as nesting help goes. A platform? A house? Successful management of this problem could go a long way towards alleviating your discomfort.

I have mockingbirds that return every spring and I adore them. They serenade me, I watch their mating dance in early spring, I watch one of the partners keeping other animals away while the eggs and then the nestlings do their natural thing. I'm sad when they go. Of all the beautiful birds and other creatures that make this place above Atascadero Creek their home, the mockingbirds are my favorite. I hope someday you can understand and maybe even share my pleasure, just as I can understand your horror at seeing dead baby birds.

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Posted in reply to the post by mitzkity:

But this mockingbird has come back year after year and built terrible nests that fall out of the tree,

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Quit freaking out totally and call Bird rescue -NOW!:heart:

Is it possible to trim the tree to make it not supportive of nesting activity, and the birds will set up shop somewhere else?

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Posted in reply to the post by oliviathunderkitty:

... Once the mockingbirds leave, is it possible for you to trim [the tree] or have someone trim the tree in such a way that the birds will be more successful the next time around? ...

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Please forgive me, we live in a Resort area (Disneyland) and our newspapers are always full of horror stories about getting rid of bedbugs. I love my 2 dogs and 2 cats and our 11 chickens AND the birds, squirrels and even the rats that run along our wires. But yesterday I was so scared - "bird flu" and "west Nile" etc - and then I was scouring the internet. Finally hubby and I determined that they need a host to breed, and they can't live long off of the host. He located the nest which was overcome with mites, and bagged it, sprayed the tree. I'm fine.

As for the Mockingbirds, I do admire their faithfulness to my lime tree, year after year. I have never, however, heard one sing. They only go "ACK!" and that's all. And they are nowhere as pretty as our hummingbirds.

Since we all have to co-exist, I will do some planning, and we'll build a platform (with edges), to go around the trunk, above the plants, to catch the falling birdies. After that we'll let Mother Nature take over. The errant pup who brought it in, well, he's a puppy, and we've been here 21 yrs without this particular "disaster" occurring, I think we're safe.

Thanks for listening and suggestions too, and yes, I stopped freaking out.

This is the only one who managed to leave the tree. Luckily, the tomatoes plants are huge and thick this year. This is a Facebook post - we call our house "Ferrari Farms" just for fun.

Bird Drama!

https://www.waccobb.net/forums/wacco...0_16-08-35.png

Especially at nesting time. We have scrub jays that hate the mockingbirds and vice versa. Such melodrama. They can't even share a yard without major conflict from both sides, shrieking and chasing.

I like the mockingbirds even when they sing in the middle of the night IF it's a few lots over. Right outside the window, it's a little rough.

Although they nest in our fine-branched Pittosporum hedge, which is perfect for them, we still get the drama. I feel sorry that their evolution is such that the babies are in such peril. The nest is a loose-weave basket that if placed in just the right branches will hold the babies until they leave, which is WAY too early, imho. They then spend the next few weeks hopping from branch to branch in their nesting tree, sending out a shrill BEEP every minute or so, incessantly proclaiming their whereabouts to any and all predators. There's nothing subtle about the mockingbird, even as a baby.

They cannot fly, they will not stay in the nest. They will not hide and very often they land too low to the ground and stay there. If the parents have chosen poorly the nesting sight, the clutch will often end in disaster.

I love our birds. My birdbath is a constant source of amusement and they love the nut butter we buy for them, but seriously, the drama we get around here is over the top.

Really!!!!! Killing of a cat would be justified???? What an absolute jerk!!! My outdoor cats keep getting dive bombed by these pests. We have zero scape landscape so there is no trees or bushes for these birds to nest in. My cats stay on my property and do not deserve to be attacked. Also the mockingbirds that are here do not "sing" they screech. These birds are nothing but an annoyance.

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Posted in reply to the post by paulswetdog:

Parent birds do that to protect their young. It seems pretty admirable to me. I'm sure your cat will survive. In fact, I have never seen a cat killed by any songbird, despite the fact that such killing would be completely justified.

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water balloons
firecrackers
falcons

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Posted in reply to the post by lisajean:

Really!!!!! Killing of a cat would be justified???? What an absolute jerk!!! My outdoor cats keep getting dive bombed by these pests. We have zero scape landscape so there is no trees or bushes for these birds to nest in. My cats stay on my property and do not deserve to be attacked. Also the mockingbirds that are here do not "sing" they screech. These birds are nothing but an annoyance.

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Just admit the mockingbirds have a human problem or get a pellet gun, there really isn't a third option...

A friend recommended a water squirt gun. Never actually squirted water on the terrorizing birds yet kept them away.

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Posted in reply to the post by Karen the KAT:

Just admit the mockingbirds have a human problem or get a pellet gun, there really isn't a third option...

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I guess those particular birds have had dealings with the Sebastopol PD... :)

Although mockingbirds can have beautiful, enjoyable songs, we have two pairs on our property who, from sunup to sundown engage in territorial disputes featuring a loud, nasty, annoying guttural squawk. Constantly, all day long. I would love to find a way to get at least one of these pairs to move elsewhere. To be clear, the nesting season is long past and the fledglings left the nest at least 6 weeks ago, so it's not nest protection behavior.

I'm going to try the magnets idea and the fake owl idea, can't get close enough for water jet. Pellet gun is also on the list of deterrents, if all else fails.

Forget the pellet gun unless you want to go to jail and pay a very large fine. Mockingbirds often have two broods. Learn to co-exist.

you can hire an animal communicator to mediate and let the birds know what you need keeping their needs in mind as well collaborating to find a win/win situation for both you and them

if you need references for the animal communicator, pl be in touch w/ me

i agree that destructive, aggressive means is not an answer and will create further problems for you ~

Wishing you All the Best with this~ :waccosun::heart:

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Posted in reply to the post by onthewing:

Forget the pellet gun unless you want to go to jail and pay a very large fine. Mockingbirds often have two broods. Learn to co-exist.

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My understanding is that the 24 hr behavior is mating behavior.

I just use earplugs at night.

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Posted in reply to the post by onthewing:

Forget the pellet gun unless you want to go to jail and pay a very large fine. Mockingbirds often have two broods. Learn to co-exist.

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I can't believe what I'm reading, how can anyone enjoy these, like Zoe Dechanel in Failure to Launch says, devil birds! I have never heard them before to my knowledge, but this year, since like April, May it's been non stop almost, it was driving me crazy! I was ready to shoot the fucker but since I'm a big animal friend I waited it out and now it finally shut up! Guess it finally found his woman... But if this happens ever again I'm going to do something. Earplugs hurt and aren't strong enough to keep the noise out, plus I wanna hear the crickets. I wish they would be banned from the cities, that's one animal I wouldn't care if it was extinct. And don't be hating on cats! Cats are the best animals in the world and they should be able to go out without being chased by some damn stupid bird! And we pay expensive rent us humans so they shouldn't ruin our quiet time we get when we're at home! Birds don't have to work or anything so fuck off! Humans suffer the most as it is.

What a mean, anti-animal email. How can this person describe herself as "a big animal friend?" She also seems anti-male. How does she know that this bird whose sounds bother her is male? Cats may be better than humans, but what makes them "the best animals in the world"? They kill lot of birds, and other animals. Why describe Mockingbirds as "stupid"?

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Posted in reply to the post by Hollyweird666:

I can't believe what I'm reading, how can anyone enjoy these, like Zoe Dechanel in Failure to Launch says, devil birds! ...

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Posted in reply to the post by Shepherd:

...How does she know that this bird whose sounds bother her is male? ...

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From Wikipedia:

"Both male and female mockingbirds sing, with the latter being generally quieter and less vocal. Male commencement of singing is in late January to February and continues into the summer and the establishing of territory into the fall. Frequency in female singing is more sporadic, as it sings less often in the summer and fall, and only sings when the male is away from the territory.^[13]"

We have mockingbirds here on our property...all day...sometimes all night. We don't like it much. But, I have to say, this message below doesn't really make sense to me....

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Posted in reply to the post by Hollyweird666:

I can't believe what I'm reading, how can anyone enjoy these,....

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How wonderful to hear that the male birds sing to the female birds, "in late January to February" and into the summer. Yea! Would that more male humans sing to the females. We have a lot to learn from the birds.

I have substantial sound trauma, from being raised in a military family. However, singing birds do not trigger it; we humans make so many unnecessary sounds, especially with our cars and other polluters. Let's work to improve our species, who are the main threats to nature. Only then should we criticize other animals.

Do you know how many "killer whales" have killed members of their own species? None. Do you know how many humans have killed members of our own species?

Hi this response is not to be harsh...i will say this is a HUGE PROBLEM...sorry however We have LOST about 65% of Our Song Birds....SERIOUSLY due to Human interference i.e pesticides ,Rat, Gopher and other POISONS TOO & Cats ( sorry Love Cats but they kill a lot mostly)...and You are complaing about Birds Singing...PLEASE if You dont like the Sounds of Nature move to a City OR put your computer on to "white noise" or some (LOL) other "healing Music or Ocean or River sounds" buy a fan or ear plugs...FYI Bird Tones, Frequencies are actually EXTREMELY IMPORTANT for ALL LIFE an Oranthologist studied Bird Songs and aparently WE NEED those frequencies to BE & STAY Healthy on EVERY LEVEL..Sounds / Frequencies effect Us on DEEP levels ...You can look this up...i am always amazed when people complain about Natural Sounds that are actually GOOD for You...it is so easy to change just move...i will take Nature Sounds ANY DAY ...i DO understand that sometimes other Beings can be quite " noisy" and i do have empathy because i worked as a Crisis Couselor "grave yard" shift for years now i deal with insomnia...but id rather HAVE Birds & Coyotes than not...We MUST work around Nature because We are the MOST evasive Species NOT THEM...We NEED them more than they need us...i hope You can get rest & figure a way to enjoy their Sacred Gift on "your" property..Bliss Infinite

I gotta chime in here!! I LOVE Mocking birds...their song completely delights me and often I laugh out loud at the wonderful twists and turns in their varied solo symphony!!! Another miracle of nature as far as I see it.

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Posted in reply to the post by Hollyweird666:

I can't believe what I'm reading, how can anyone enjoy these, like Zoe Dechanel in Failure to Launch says, devil birds! I have never heard them before to my knowledge, but this year, since like April, May it's been non stop almost, it was driving me crazy! I was ready to shoot the fucker but since I'm a big animal friend I waited it out and now it finally shut up! Guess it finally found his woman... ...

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I think this is meant to be a sarcastic joke. Don't think anyone around really thinks this way and the language is pretty extreme.

Beautiful points Shepherd

And

i can also appreciate
that for some
being awakened in the night
from sleep
to hear
bird calls
can be hard,
night after night

snoring can be hard to endure as well :)

i've found
if one can surrender
rather than resist
one falls back to sleep

it is our mind / emotions
that reisist, fight, curse
are disturbed

which is always the ultimate culprit
in our so-called 'problems'

if we can address our minds
and not become so identified
or at least
realize that this is what is actually happening
this identification
with the part/s in us that are upset

we can be stronger than these upset parts
not get pulled in
and avoid a lot of suffering
and creating more
via the mind, thoughts, speech, actions

this is essentially the 'human trip'
we are on

how to make it a journey
without falling prey to our minds and our ego's wiring

~how to suffer less

:waccosun::heart:

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Posted in reply to the post by scamperwillow:

I think this is meant to be a sarcastic joke. Don't think anyone around really thinks this way and the language is pretty extreme.

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lol...NOT AT ALL...
"If" it was "meant" to be "funny" it is SO not..it is pathetic ...

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Posted in reply to the post by wildinspired:

I gotta chime in here!! I LOVE Mocking birds...their song completely delights me and often I laugh out loud at the wonderful twists and turns in their varied solo symphony!!! Another miracle of nature as far as I see it.

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EXACTLY. ..We NEED their Songs...

Let's not forget that it was Rachel Carson's 1962 book "Silent Spring" that lamented the loss of song birds. This helped initiated a robust environmental movement over 50 years ago. It is good to remember this book and look at its message again.

Following is a link to information about that important book that brought attention to what a significant part of nature those loud birds are. Sonoma State University named one of its halls after this great scientist. The mockingbirds are a kind of indicator species. If we were to loose their singing, that would be a further sign that more losses would be likely to follow.

Mockingbirds are not the "problem," as the title of this thread asserts. We two-footed humans are the biggest problem on this one, glorious Earth, in my opinion.

Rachel Carson, Silent Spring, www.rachelcarson.org/SilentSpring.aspx
BOOK JACKET: Silent Spring, 50th Anniversary Edition Silent Spring began with a “fable for tomorrow” – a true story using a composite of examples drawn from ...

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Posted in reply to the post by pixeee nation:

EXACTLY. ..We NEED their Songs...

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Posted in reply to the post by scamperwillow:

I think this is meant to be a sarcastic joke. Don't think anyone around really thinks this way and the language is pretty extreme.

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Definitely not a joke, rather it is a rant:frustration:. It was posted from someone in the LA area who registered and posted the rant, and then un-registered.

Mockingbirds are amazingly beautiful singers, whose song can go on for hours without repeating a phrase. And it is because of that, if you are trying to sleep with the windows open, they can keep you up for hours. I don't have a mockingbird problem presently, but I did many years ago. It was driving me crazy :pullshair:. If I had a shotgun handy, I wouldn't have thought twice about using it :fireright:. Which makes it even worse. How could you want to kill such a beautiful thing?? Many people have been in the same position. That's why this thread has been viewed almost 70,000 times!

As I remember, there was some good advice posted earlier on this thread (anybody care to review the earlier posts and provide a summary?) And I think posting (ranting) and/or reading about this issue is helpful :frustration:.

Sheesh people - shut your windows and use earplugs! Shotgun? Seriously? These are beautiful creatures. Wait for the day when you will have to explain to your grandchildren what a songbird was.

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Posted in reply to the post by Barry:

Definitely not a joke, rather it is a rant:frustration:. ...

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Move?

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Posted in reply to the post by Shepherd:

Let's not forget that it was Rachel Carson's 1962 book "Silent Spring" ...

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💖💗💛💙🏞

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Posted in reply to the post by Barry:

Definitely not a joke, rather it is a rant:frustration:.....

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Good that You choose to post the stupid arrogance of that type of complete hateFULL NONEsense..like i said " they should just MOVE to a city full of industrial "civilized" NOISE....a place that they can "just shoot" others instead of harming Wildlife...jest sayn...Bliss Infinite🏞🌄🌌🐦🐝🌱🌲🌹

again
complaints seem to be focused on mockingbirds
Not All Song Birds

and their unusual patterns of singing at night
or consistently

pl don't confuse this
with a dislike for SongBirds

things get exaggerated and out of hand
when we are annoyed, not happy, irritated
and don't have positive resolutions at hand
to solve what ails us

maybe suggestions can be made
that work for both the birds and the humans

maybe the bird rescue or bird sanctuaries
would have knowledgeable time tested ideas

~how to be resourceful
rather than condemning the birds, one another

let's focus on finding resolutions
if possible

:waccosun::heart::heart:

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Posted in reply to the post by pixeee nation:

Hi this response is not to be harsh...i will say this is a HUGE PROBLEM...

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Cats are killers. Let's be clear about that. They kill birds and other animals. Birds are likely to outlive humans, who are threatening a nuclear exchange. Does that make the "damn stupid birds"? If you want "quiet time," why not leave Sonoma County? Birds do a lot of "work," to survive those predator cats. Yes, "humans suffer," mainly from how we oppress each other.

As for me, my dog likes cats, who flirt with her, and even sleep with her. "Being chased" is not always so bad.

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Posted in reply to the post by Hollyweird666:

Cats are the best animals in the world and they should be able to go out without being chased by some damn stupid bird! And we pay expensive rent us humans so they shouldn't ruin our quiet time we get when we're at home! Birds don't have to work or anything so fuck off! Humans suffer the most as it is.

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i'd rather have mockingbirds singing their hearts out than woodpeckers who've now gotten into the walls.
i guess it's called sharing the planet :)

"...As for me, my dog likes cats, who flirt with her, and even sleep with her. "Being chased" is not always so bad."
That part of your comment made me laugh out loud Shepard! I'm still chuckling! Thanks, Dusty

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Posted in reply to the post by Shepherd:

Cats are killers. Let's be clear about that. They kill birds and other animals. Birds are likely to outlive humans, who are threatening a nuclear exchange. Does that make the "damn stupid birds"? If you want "quiet time," why not leave Sonoma County? Birds do a lot of "work," to survive those predator cats. Yes, "humans suffer," mainly from how we oppress each other.

As for me, my dog likes cats, who flirt with her, and even sleep with her. "Being chased" is not always so bad.

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I've been doing a lot of online research to fix our Mockingbird situation. I own cats, rabbits and four dogs but these idiot birds have decided that our yard is a perfect place for them to make nests and defend their territory! There are plenty of other wonderful trees in our neighborhood that are pet free but for three years in a row these little shits have decided that this is their home. Their squawking is incessant and I feel like I'm going to lose my mind some days. Goes right over the TV even with all windows and doors closed there is literally no shutting there squawks off. I've tried everything to get them out of my yard. Followed lots of suggestions that I've read online and nothing has worked. They literally consider this their territory and refuse to leave. The only current break I get is during the day when the fledgling is down the street hopping around going tree to tree. But they come back every night religiously. Here's my solution. I'm chopping down all my freaking trees! That way at least they won't be in as close proximity. Gonna cost $2000 but my sanity is worth it.

You could play bird songs you love and they will learn them and sing for you. I did this with a Swainson’s Thrush song and my mockingbird learned the song. You could record hawk calls and that might scare them away. The males sing when they are looking for a mate, I was told. Maybe when he/they find one they’ll calm down. But cutting the trees with active nests with young is illegal I was told by the Wild Bird Rescue Center on Chanate....523-2473

I find many humans to be much more annoying than mockingbirds, though they can also annoy me. Feral cats can be more helpful to reduce these birds, though they take out other birds as well.

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Posted in reply to the post by vdeva:

You could play bird songs you love and they will learn them and sing for you....

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I have been diagnosed with significant Post-Traumatic Stress, from being raised in a military family and having served as a U.S. Army officer. My form of PTSD is sound trauma. I have to leave many situations, which most people can endure, because of the headaches that I get from sounds that are too loud for me, yet do not seem to bother others. I have written about that in an essay called "Sound Shy," as in gun shy, in the book "Veterans of War, Veterans of Peace," edited by Maxine Hong Kingston. She leads our Veterans Writing Group.

My chapter in the book starts as follows: "Yesterday my car beeped at me, again---beep, beep, beep. It kept yelling at me until I did what it wanted me to do. The gas pump--the automatic bank teller--the telephone as I dialed--the phone answering machine--they all beeped loudly at me. They told me what to do and what not to do. They wore me down, so I obeyed their orders."

"Much of my behavior is sound-avoidant," I add later. "And most refrigerators are too loud for me. I usually build a little room outside the house to contain the refrigerator." I conclude my chapter as follows: "I like listening to pretty sounds, like the mourning doves, as I awaken."

So I am not thrilled by mockingbird sounds, though I do prefer them to the loud sounds that many cars and other human machines make, including guns. We humans create machines that make loud sounds that bother many of the world's wonderful creatures.

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Posted in reply to the post by sealwatcher:

Wow! I remember reading your posts last year! You probably know that these birds are protected ...

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This does not sound right. Mockingbirds don't squawk. They sing and it's very beautiful. Might you be SEEING mockingbirds but hearing crows, who do squawk? I have had pairs of mockingbirds nesting here where I live in west county for 30 years. Their songs are delicate, happy and intermittent; they can never be heard over music or television, when I have it on. I suggest you call Wild Bird Rescue in Santa Rosa and ask for advice. Or call Native Songbird Care & Conservation in Sebastopol. Killing trees is a terrible option and, if you are in the city limits, may also be illegal. Also, the birds are not idiots, nor are they little shits. They are intelligent creatures and we have encroached on their natural habitat, not vice versa. It is best, if you can find it in yourself, to be gentle with them and to listen to what they are saying. They may respond by calming down.

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Posted in reply to the post by Stacey5675:

I've been doing a lot of online research to fix our Mockingbird situation....

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isn't this the same post from around July of 2017?

i see replies etc. from that time...

Barry, could you please let us know what's going on about this...

Thanks,
dusty
aka gaiasophia on wacco...

• 
  
  
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  Posted in reply to the post by oliviathunderkitty:

  This does not sound right. Mockingbirds don't squawk. They sing and it's very beautiful. Might you be SEEING mockingbirds but hearing crows, who do squawk? I have had pairs of mockingbirds nesting here where I live in west county for 30 years. Their songs are delicate, happy and intermittent; they can never be heard over music or television, when I have it on. I suggest you call Wild Bird Rescue in Santa Rosa and ask for advice. Or call Native Songbird Care & Conservation in Sebastopol. Killing trees is a terrible option and, if you are in the city limits, may also be illegal. Also, the birds are not idiots, nor are they little shits. They are intelligent creatures and we have encroached on their natural habitat, not vice versa. It is best, if you can find it in yourself, to be gentle with them and to listen to what they are saying. They may respond by calming down.

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Ear plugs. Learn to share the planet.

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Posted in reply to the post by oliviathunderkitty:

This does not sound right. Mockingbirds don't squawk. ....

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Harper Lee wrote in TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD.....

Mockingbirds don't eat up people's gardens, don't nest in corncribs, they don't do one thing but sing their hearts out for us. That's why it's a sin to kill a mockingbird.”

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Posted in reply to the post by wisewomn:

Ear plugs. Learn to share the planet.

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I’ve been sharing the planet and my trees with the mockingbirds for many years. Yes occasionally they’ve been a bit loud and rowdy but I always make sure to protect their nests and babies. But THIS year I have two males in close proximity who sing about 22 of 24 hours and I’m not getting ANY sleep. This has been happening for two full months. They even cut through earplugs. I’m starting to lose it at work and in general. One is in a tree right outside my bedroom window. I’m exhausted. I’m going to go buy rubber snakes or something. I can’t take it anymore. I’ll share with my beautiful doves and warring hummingbirds.

They are out of control.

squirt guns work. Shoot water in their direction.
Works on relocating blue jays.