Why is this bird repeatedly tapping and flying into the window?

[Cablestitches]

This bird has been tapping on the window, flying into it and hovering around for the last two hours. Even if you go and stand by the window it keeps doing it and gets even more upset.

What on earth is it doing?!

Pic incoming - it’s just under review

It’s confused by its reflection. Go and distract it with food

It thinks its reflection is another bird. Can you put something in the window to block the reflection?

It thinks its reflection is a rival and trying to chase it off. They can wear themselves out doing this. Try to put something in the window so it can’t see its reflection.

He is defending his territory from his reflection... he justs sees another bird!! ... put some washing up liquid on paper towel and rub it over where he is fighting and he will move on!!

It’s doing it to multiple windows upstairs and downstairs.

my daughter came down to tell me it was at her window first then it moved to the living room window and now it’s at the kitchen (no curtains or blinds to pull)

poor bird!

Oh that’s a good idea!

There are so many birds in my garden I’m surprised he’s started a fight with himself!

Could there be insects caught in spiders webs on the windows and he's snacking?

I’ve got a blue tit doing this at my living room window as I type, silly bugger!

That's a jay. They're vicious sods. They'll steal babies from other nests to kill and eat them.

A jay??? It’s quite clearly a chaffinch, about one tenth the size of a jay and completely different markings, shape, beak, everything….

Yes Chaffinch. I always find the Bluetits are worst for this.

We get it too but in our case it's blue tits and they're eating bugs and spiders on the window sills.

It is arguing with its own reflection. Maybe prop a magazine or newspaper up against the window on the inside.

It's not a jay, you obviously know nothing about birds so don't bother to post!!

It's a male chaffinch, and as others have said, he's attacking his reflection. They can get a bit fixated on doing it. I had a blackbird who did it for a fortnight on a window which was opaque glass, but could still see his reflection on the outside of the glass.

It's distracting you. They do this. As soon as you are distracted enough the rest of the flock will be in the back door to rob all your biscuits.

Absolute bastards, chaffinches. Worse than dolphins.

"Etymology: The name originates from Old English ceaffinc, a combination of "biscuit" and "thief," referring to their behavior of searching through agricultural waste for crumbs."

This is how it begins

You can get stickers in the shape of a bird of prey silhouette to stick on your window which will deter the bird from doing this.

Also helps prevent idiot pigeons from smashing into your window, if that is a problem for anyone.

Jays are not 'vicious sods' any more than any other predator species on the planet. It's their natural instinct. Anyway, they would be taking food to give to their own chicks.

That's how nature works. As Alfred, Lord Tennyson put it: 'red in tooth and claw'.