FARMING MATTERS: Pheasant poses peckish problem

Every day without fail, usually in the afternoon or evening, it starts pecking at one of the windows in our house.

This is a full length window, and the bird presumably can see itself through the glass.

When this first started it was during the mating season and for a very brief period there were two pheasants pecking at the window.

I assumed they would stop this behaviour after a few weeks, but one of them has continued with daily pecking.

This bird clearly likes looking at himself!

The glass is strong and there is no damage done, apart from constant bird mess all along the patio beneath the window.

Clearly, seeing himself excites the bird so much he can’t stop himself going to the toilet while he is pecking.

My husband has lived in our home all his life and we have always had pheasants in the garden.

But this has never happened before and I’m curious as to why this particular pheasant has taken such a fancy to our window.

Everything I have read suggests this is courtship behaviour during the mating season, the bird is fighting off a perceived competitor for his hen, and lasts but a brief time, but our pheasant doesn’t appear to have a calendar, as three months is hardly a brief time!

Suggestions for stopping the bird include sticking material or foil on the outside of the window or smearing the window with something. I haven’t tried any of these things yet. Perhaps a reader has a good idea?