About a month ago, I noticed a whole bunch of bird schit all over the rear bumper and trailer hitch of my pick up and all over the floor of my garage. About a week later, I heard a ticking noise coming from the back of my truck as it was parked in the garage. I walked back there and a small bird flew away. Things have ramped up and he's now going after my wife's bumper as well. Bird schit is tough to clean off. I've looked at the little bastard and I think it's a White Throated Sparrow.

I own a '68 Chevelle SS that I drive on the weekends, weather permitting. I'll typically get it out of the barn on Friday night and park it in the garage. I'll leave my truck in the driveway. The weekend before last, I got the car out. By Sunday night, when I put the car away, I not only had bird schit on the bumper of the Chevelle, but my truck had bird schit on every window, both mirrors, and both bumpers.

Last night when I got home, before I could even get out of the truck, he was pecking at my bumper. I've tried yelling at him to try to scare him, but nothing has worked. When I stand in front of the garage door, he loiters about 10 or 15 yards away. As soon as I walk away, he attacks my truck. I've considered going to Southern States and buy one of those plastic owls to maybe deter him, but not sure if it will work. My wife doesn't want me to kill him and suggests that we just keep the doors closed. That ain't gonna work, it'll be 150* in there if we can't keep the doors open most of the time. Plus, whenever anybody parks in the driveway, their cars will be covered in bird schit in no time flat.

I don't really want to kill the little SOB, but enough is enough. I've got a 17 cal Gamo air rifle that'll do the job. If I kill it, wifey might get pissed. If I don't, I'm living in bird schit.

What would you do? Should I take him out and SSS?

Silently kill it.

Just put a mirror out side of the garage, he can beat his little pecker off beating on it.

I kind of thought of that, but he's got a thing for my truck. Not sure if it'll work.

No question; it’d already be dead.

Is this a joke of some sort?

Or have the wife clean it up. After a time or two of that, she'd likely kill it for you.

Wives don't always need to know about killing around the house. Half grown squirrels and coons for example. Some birds are known to "migrate" unexpectedly you know.

White Throated Sparrow? Make it red.

My wife loves every little critter , from squirrels that will tear the crap out of anything on the deck, to woodpeckers and other destructive birds. She would be very upset if she knew about any killin'. I have a BB gun that leans up next to the back sliding door. Some things are best left unsaid.

Mothballs in the garage.

It could eat a tick and save your life.

My wife HATES birds. She would have had me kill it the moment it entered the garage.

If I were you I would shoot it and play dumb.

We had a yellow rump warbler doing the same thing to a neighbor's car down in Florida. Neurotic little thing that kept it up all day long flying up or down and pecking at it's reflection on Larry's car. Jimy might be on to something with the mirror, but I think the owl or hawk figure might be moire effective. Larry didn't have an owl figure, but he did have a Micky Mouse statue, but that didn't work either. Pretty funny though. Maybe some streamers. Your car is too clean and the bird thinks that the reflection is another bird.

It probably sees his reflection and is defending it's territory against the intruder. Had the same problem with a robin a couple of years ago. Making a freaking mess of my truck and my wife's car. She insisted I make it go away. So I did.

Off subject but, I planted a lot of grass seed on my lawn this spring. Next day there were 20 to 30 white throated sparrows eating the seed. Took them almost a week to eat nearly every seed I put down. Little bastards.

You never know, maybe a stray cat might kill and eat it all gone ...

Cardinals will attack their reflections for weeks on end.

Execution is necessary at times.

??? Is this a joke?

This:



says to me that it isn't. OP should talk to his doctor about whether TRT would be right for "him".

Might want to PM shrapnel about the cat that walked over the top of his GTO.

SSS

Damn birds get a thing for my truck mirrors & schit on my truck they get gone.

I live where I can shoot my shotgun around & about the house.


Mike

Nah don't kill it. Cats are a different issue, had the trailer wiring harness ripped out of my Silverado by my neighbors cat.

White-throated Sparrow would be be a surprise in MD, and they don't usually come in people's garages. My guess would be Carolina Wren.

If it is a Carolina Wren, that thing could be in full-blown territorial mode until August at least, maybe longer.


Distant second-guess, Song Sparrow. Prob'ly be done in a month.

on a '68 Chevelle ?

that fugger would be gone.........

It's best not to bring things to the wife's attention if killing may be involved.

Good excuse for pellet gun shopping.

https://www.pyramydair.com/

I looked at pictures of the Carolina Wren also. Whatever it is, the SOB is skating on thin ice. The air rifle might be in use tonight.

Well, first get a cat. Then you will need a dog. Then you will need a lion followed by an elephant and finally a mouse. I think I got that right.

I think ruby-throated is the more accepted term.

Yup SSS and be done with it.

Ya but like most that tout the sss, he already has trouble with that third S.

This spring I had birds wanting to build a nest in our gutter and making a mess on the porch. I hung a crow decoy on the gutter lip for a few days it took care of the problem. Good Luck.

The only two questions,
Can you safely shoot it?
What gun?

No close neighbors?
Shotgun, on the wing!
May as well turn work into fun!

I wouldn't have wasted the time posting and waiting for a consensus thats for sure. But since you asked.

should I change my tampon?

When I was living in SA TX with my parents 4 doves decided to roost right over the the rear quarter of my '67 Dodge R/T. I tried to shoo them off, sprayed them with the garden hose a couple of times, finally the 22 Benjamin came out 3 fell before the forth got the message and never returned. Had them as an appetizer for supper.


I would suggest a Daisy BB gun for the job silent and not much danger of a ricochet.

Frag his ass.




Lots of other places he could live.

Yes.
17 cal Gamo air rifle

Yes, one next door, but he's OK.
There are other neighbors around, they're a little too close for shotgunning.

[quote=FatCity67]I wouldn't have wasted the time posting and waiting for a consensus thats for sure. But since you asked.


quote]

I just wanted to hear what the Fire had to say, that's all. I pretty much got the responses that I figured I'd get.

I'm sure the problem will be solved by this evening.

At least make it sporting and use a sling shot.

Ya know, I had a guy working for me about 25 years ago that was from Guatemala. I saw him take out a squirrel from 50 yards one time with his "Ling Shot". He was pretty damn good with that thing.

Nice!

They are good fun. I busted out a 'coons grill about 10 years ago. Steel ball right to the mouth at 5-6 yards. Made a hell of a mess out of him!

Oh my god, that's the funniest thing I've heard all day. LOL

68 Chevelle.......dead bird.

An old movie comes to mind: Bye, Bye........

Yup, it's time...

I was being tongue and cheek with my answer. Didn't mean anything by it.

I had the same problem....the same bird crapped on one of our cars 2 or 3 times every day, right on the side mirrors. I bought one of those plastic owls with the large glass eyes, and I have had a problem since. You are supposed to fill it with sand or anything heavy to get it to stay put, but I just stuck a stick up through it and let it move in the breeze looking down at our driveway. We'll see if it works in the long run.

I'd rather have a 100 birds than have everything smell like moth balls.

That stinkin' crap repels ME pretty good too.

Hahaha, me too Barry but i think they are pretty sensitive and only a few will do.

There is a cardinal at work that does that to my truck mirror. I remember the days of raging hormones. I give him a pass. lol

Wrens were trying to nest in my shed. A wren fits perfectly inside a #0 victor longspring
with only the neck caught between the jaws. 30min - 2 wrens - prob solved.

Well, it appears as though the neighbors cat must have gotten him. Maybe a fox. We have a lot of foxes running around. I haven't seen him around and there were a few feathers in the grass next to the driveway.

Did I tell ya about my air rifle? It's pretty bad ass. It's a Gamo Varmit Velocity. I think it was about 75 bucks at Cabala's, but I used my points and got it without forking out any cash. It shoots a 17 cal. 6 grain lead pellet at 1250fps. It has a 3X scope on top and I've got it sighted in at 50 yards. If I were to shoot at this bird from 10 yards, it would probably shoot a little high and I would probably miss him on the first shot. That would force me to take a second shot at him. I think I would aim about 1" lower on the second shot in order to hit him. But we'll never know because the neighbors cat got him.

Just hang some shiney/reflective party decorations on the garage door....

Don't kill the little guy. Get a plastic owl they work well. I have one.

Hahaha!!

I'm glad the "cat" got it.

For future reference, regarding the "third S", you may want to consider what your State agency has to say on the matter.

http://dnr.maryland.gov/wildlife/Pages/plants_wildlife/MBirdTreatyAct.aspx

Pertinent parts quoted:

"The Migratory Bird Treaty Act is the primary legislation protecting native birds in the United States and one of this country's earliest environmental laws. It prohibits the "taking" any native birds; "taking" can mean killing a wild bird or possessing parts of a wild bird, including feathers, nests, or eggs. Exceptions are allowed for hunting game birds and for research purposes, both of which require licenses or permits. It is also illegal to try to incubate wild bird eggs, to keep nests or eggs even for "show and tell" educational purposes, or to have road-killed birds in your possession without a permit. (Note: Injured native birds should be brought immediately to a licensed, trained wildlife rehabilitator who handles such species.) " (my bold)

"It is illegal to transport, trap or kill native non-game adult birds like Blue Jays or Mockingbirds without a permit, even if they are harassing birds at nest boxes or feeders.

"Despite the title, the Act also protects birds that are not considered "migratory" (like eagles, hawks, and Chickadees). "

I'm surprised birdwatcher didn't bring this up........then again he catches a lot of flack around here for other things so maybe he was just keeping his head low.

Be grateful for the neighbor's cat!

But, as someone else mentioned, might be best to not bring these things up on a public forum. (look at the penalties in the article). Someone here might get angry at you sometime, I hear it happens, all the way across country even.

Geno

PS, if bird crap bothers some of you folks, you don't want to see my truck when the robins are here for the winter eating juniper berries. They LOVE my lumber rack.