# Bang bang bang goes the cardinal
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bang-bang-bang-goes-the-cardinal/578527
**Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share
**Created:** [April 15, 2011, 6:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bang-bang-bang-goes-the-cardinal/578527 "2011-04-15T18:30:33Z")
**Posts on this page:** 13
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@Malleus\_Incus\_Stapes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malleus_Incus_Stapes)
#### Post date: [April 15, 2011, 6:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bang-bang-bang-goes-the-cardinal/578527/1 "2011-04-15T18:30:33Z")
_Thud._
Stupid bird…
_Thud._
Mr. Cardinal has somehow gotten it into his little bird brain that he really needs to enter our house through the middle window of the den. There is an unfortunate obstacle in his way- the window- but no matter. He claps his wings and says, “I don’t believe in windows!” and tries again.
_Thud._
What? It didn’t work? Impossible! “I don’t believe in windows!” He flies swift and true, visualizing that pesky pane of glass just dis-
_Thud._
He’s been trying since yesterday.
There are three windows set in that wall. The other two are uncovered and un-bird-proofed. He does not give a scraggly pinion about them. The middle window, and only the middle window, is the object of his attentions. Or affections. Or possibly concussions.
We put tape on the window. We taped black plastic over most of the window. We stood beneath the window and said, “Hey, you, cardinal, give it up!” (Okay, that was just me).
This morning I went outside with a newspaper and covered the little bit of glass that was showing. I went inside, bird foiled (well, papered and plastic’d).
_Thud._
Orrrrrrrrr… not.
We’ve given up. We’re out of ideas. We’ve decided that if that stupid cardinal can’t take a stupid hint, it’s his own stupid fault if he scrambles his stupid brains. In the mean time, he’s still there, banging his noggin against the glass.
\*Thud.
Thud.
Thud.\*
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### Author:  [@Mr.Excellent](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Excellent)
#### Post date: [April 15, 2011, 6:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bang-bang-bang-goes-the-cardinal/578527/2 "2011-04-15T18:35:48Z")
Maybe put out a bit of birdseed or bread someplace away from the window? Perhaps food would distract the little guy long enough to forget about the infinitely alluring pane of glass.
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### Author:  [@Sunspace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunspace)
#### Post date: [April 15, 2011, 6:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bang-bang-bang-goes-the-cardinal/578527/3 "2011-04-15T18:56:09Z")
And I thought this was going to be about S-ro Ratzinger’s unexpectedly-short life and sudden new successor. 🙂
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### Author:  [@dawson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dawson)
#### Post date: [April 15, 2011, 6:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bang-bang-bang-goes-the-cardinal/578527/4 "2011-04-15T18:59:28Z")
There’s a reason bird brain isn’t more commonly used as a term of affection.
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### Author:  [@Harmonious\_Discord](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Harmonious_Discord)
#### Post date: [April 15, 2011, 8:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bang-bang-bang-goes-the-cardinal/578527/5 "2011-04-15T20:29:15Z")
It’s attacking the reflection of it’s self defending it’s territory. I’ve had to cover vehicle side mirror to stop a cardinal from attacking it. There was robin that kept attacking a single house window for two weeks. Only draping a large towel over the outside of the window would stop the annoying bird. We never got the window entirely clean of bird fluid. You could see the imprints of feathers before a power washing.
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### Author:  [@Malleus\_Incus\_Stapes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malleus_Incus_Stapes)
#### Post date: [April 15, 2011, 8:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bang-bang-bang-goes-the-cardinal/578527/6 "2011-04-15T20:42:37Z")
I must have thunked my head into one window too many myself. Thud the Concussed Cardinal is, in fact, a robin. But still an annoying robin. It’s getting really distracting. Thunk thunk thunk thunk thunk.
**Harmonious Discord** - But we covered the window. Birdbrain failed to cease his thudding.
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### Author:  [@Harmonious\_Discord](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Harmonious_Discord)
#### Post date: [April 15, 2011, 8:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bang-bang-bang-goes-the-cardinal/578527/7 "2011-04-15T20:48:52Z")
Black plastic can be reflective too. Check it out tomorrow. I used a large towel because there was no way it would reflect. You could try a blanket for a larger area.
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### Author:  [@Beadalin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beadalin)
#### Post date: [April 15, 2011, 8:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bang-bang-bang-goes-the-cardinal/578527/8 "2011-04-15T20:54:16Z")
Hang a CD on a string against the window – or more than one. That usually throws them off.
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### Author:  [@wolfman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolfman)
#### Post date: [April 15, 2011, 10:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bang-bang-bang-goes-the-cardinal/578527/9 "2011-04-15T22:05:20Z")
You’d think even if they couldn’t figure out it was a reflection, they at least in some evolutionary survival sense figure out" Man, that other guy is build like a fuckin wall, he is kickin my ass flat every time, I think I’ll go find a new yard"
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### Author:  [@jz78817](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jz78817)
#### Post date: [April 16, 2011, 8:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bang-bang-bang-goes-the-cardinal/578527/10 "2011-04-16T08:54:54Z")
dude, cardinals are _assholes._. Seriously.
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### Author:  [@Autolycus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Autolycus)
#### Post date: [April 16, 2011, 9:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bang-bang-bang-goes-the-cardinal/578527/11 "2011-04-16T09:16:22Z")
So, what’s the latest word in your struggle?
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### Author:  [@Malleus\_Incus\_Stapes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malleus_Incus_Stapes)
#### Post date: [April 17, 2011, 12:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bang-bang-bang-goes-the-cardinal/578527/12 "2011-04-17T00:56:52Z")
Still thunking away every five minutes or so.
Tomorrow we’re going to try hanging a towel like **HD** recommended.
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### Author:  [@Simplicio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Simplicio)
#### Post date: [April 17, 2011, 12:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bang-bang-bang-goes-the-cardinal/578527/13 "2011-04-17T00:59:31Z")
> [@Sunspace](#):
>
> And I thought this was going to be about S-ro Ratzinger’s unexpectedly-short life and sudden new successor. 🙂
Was thinking another Vatican sex-scandal.