HELP! Identify bird and suggestions

Roy · May 18, 2008

LAST EDITED ON May-18-08 AT 08:27PM (MST)[p]LAST EDITED ON May-18-08 AT 08:13?PM (MST)

OK all - like Eelgrass and his mole problem I am eliciting your help. We have some birds - right handsome little things that live in our area that seem to have taken a liking to eating the bugs and stuff in our yard. The problem is that they have taken to roosting and perching on our trampoline (we have one of those protective nets around it) and crap all over it. I don't want to eradicate them because I like the bug control and they are pretty cool birds. I have tried to condition them to not get on the poles by shooting paintballs at them but all that has done is make them double check that I am not out there before they land and to fly as soon as they hear the door open. Also I am almost out of paintballs. Other than bugs, their diet seems to consisit of a lot of seeds and berries as that is the material left behind. It isn't the normal white splotch bird crap and actually can be swept away but it is getting annoying to sweep the tramp every time my kids want to jump or play.

So here are some pics of the little creatures - I aplogize ahead of time for the quality - we just have a simple digital camera that I am sure we don't know how to use properly anyway. All pics were taken from 15-30 feet on our highest zoom, the first two are not altered and the next four are blown up and cropped so they are a little more grainy and pixelated than I would want.

First I want to know what species of bird are they? I have an idea but I haven't been able to verify. And second - what non-lethal suggestions do you have for keeping them off the trampoline?

UTROY
Proverbs 21:19 (why I hunt!)

ClorideRUS · May 18, 2008

LAST EDITED ON May-18-08 AT 08:27PM (MST)[p]Sorry Roy .... the only bird I've been shown on this web site so far ....

Actually .... kinda looks like a camp robber!!

NON Lethal???? Call it a Democrat and then sit back and listen to 202 sob it to death.

RUS

overton · May 18, 2008

Looks like a rare gray eagle to me, just a real small one.

Ransom

bobcatbess · May 18, 2008

I'LL TAKE A GUESS!!!

IT'S A LONG TAILED TEXAS PECKER!!!

THIS IS MY NEW GUN,YOU MAY NOT LIKE IT,YOU'LL LIKE IT A HELL OF A LOT LESS WHEN IT HITS ITS DESTINATION!!!

THE ONLY bobcat THAT KNOWS ALOT OF YOU HAVE HAD THIS IMAGE IN YOUR PEA BRAIN BUT DUE TO POOR SHOOTING TACTICS I'M STILL KICKIN!!!

NMPaul · May 18, 2008

pretty sure its a mockingbird.

You could re name your post. To kill a Mockingbird

ricochet · May 18, 2008

Non-lethal is not my forte.
You might try an owl decoy or borrow a blow-up doll from bobcat to use as a scarecrow.
The fish and game department or the agriculture department of the nearest university might be able to help.

azoutback · May 18, 2008

That would be a mocking bird for sure.

d13r · May 18, 2008

.....and a female mockingbird too.....noisy as heck...

JB

eelgrass · May 18, 2008

Here you go Roy! It's a propane cannon. It sounds just like a shotgun blast. You can set it to automatically go off every 40 seconds, 24/7s. Some of the ranchers around here got them to keep the Aleutian Geese off their property. They work great!

A standaed 5 gallon propane tank is good for 17,000 shotgun blasts! The neighbors shouldn't mind.

http://www.suttonag.com/Zon.html

RACKMASTER · May 18, 2008

mocking bird......tons of them here..noisy birds!
rm

NVBighorn · May 18, 2008

I vote mockingbird too. Shoot the noisy little bastard.

AWHOLELOTTABULL · May 18, 2008

LMAO Bessy! Now that there is fuuuuunny!

It's always an adventure!!!
www.awholelottabull.com

RELH · May 18, 2008

The scientific name for the bird is Didus inepyus. It and Hdude have alot in common concerning it's traits.

RELH

nickman · May 18, 2008

LAST EDITED ON May-19-08 AT 00:49AM (MST)[p]Get a couple of tree pythons and drape
them over those bars the birds are on
.....they subsist almost exclusively on
birds and can live their entire lives
without touching the ground.

They are way more quiet than carbide
cannons and shotguns. You also won't get
a ticket for shooting songbirds.

Also, I bet it will get real entertaining,
watching the kids dodge strikes on their
way up and down during trampoline tricks.

You could also put some Super Glue on the bar
and when they get stuck, you can knock them
off with a baseball bat.....the birds, not the kids.

Moondog · May 19, 2008

Most definitely a mockingbird. Since it is the state bird of Texas, we can't legally eliminate them but they are pretty good to have around eating bugs and such.

Roy · May 19, 2008

I was thinking it was a mockingbird, - just wanted to get a second opinion. Glad I didn't actually hit them with the paintballs, wouldn't be good to have them flying around the neighborhood all purple, red, blue and yellow, being the state bird and all.

Do you think an owl decoy will work?

UTROY
Proverbs 21:19 (why I hunt!)

kilbuc · May 19, 2008

Long term ...No, it will only work for a short period til they get use to them. Same for aloud noisy. Rule of thumb on nusiance birds is to make the item unavailable. Try putting a net suspended over the top of the tramboline. Not easy, but nothing is easy.

from the "Heartland of Wyoming"

sageadvice · May 19, 2008

Actually a remarkable bird. I've heard them go thru a routine of 5 or 6 different sets of bird talk, a crow, valley quail, black bird, meadow lark, and so on. Quite talented and harmless unless you need quiet. They can only be blamed for loving to sing somebody elses songs.

Shooting them when a kid on Grandpa's ranch was considered taboo. One sure way to get wrath from Grandma was for her to find a dead stashed Mockingbird. "Really Grandma, i don't know how it died with that hole in it's chest" while i'm clutching the old pump 22 in one hand and guaging how many shells i had left in my pocket with the other. When your 8-10 years old and been shooting since you could walk, they're targets!

RACKMASTER · May 19, 2008

they'll put a dent in the bugs for sure!
rm

lve2143 · May 19, 2008

Roy,

They're not going to pay any attention to an
owl decoy. Why are you trying to get shed of
said bird ??

lar

eelgrass · May 19, 2008

Larry, those "said birds" are pooping on Roy's trampoline! A capital offence in some localities.

Roy, I mowed my mom's lawn today after work. I first raked out 8 mole hills. Do me a favor would you? Pop one of them mocking birds for me please? Caliber .177 bird be gone!

Eel

Roy · May 19, 2008

LAST EDITED ON May-19-08 AT 09:06PM (MST)[p]Yes Larry - these pretty little things would be more than welcome and in fact are doing a pretty good job on the ants and the grasshoppers - them and the lizards. However they are also leaving their droppings where my kids play the most and it is a pain to have to clean up after them every day - though it is tolerable. The nets may be coming down much to my wife's chagrin.

Eel - I also thought about the turtles solution but I am not man enough either. The .177 caliber solution doesn't work either as they are the Texas State bird. Almost as bad as shooting a seagull in Salt Lake.

UTROY
Proverbs 21:19 (why I hunt!)

lve2143 · May 20, 2008

Roy,

They may be the state bird, but I know
alot of old farts that shoot'em off their
tomato plants in the garden. One old man's the
father of a Game Warden.

Son don't say much.

Roy, they are really smart and really hard headed.
(Kinda like you)

Think your stuck with each other.

lrv