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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

I know it's not reasonable to kill a robin but wtf do I do?

250 replies

dancemonke · 09/09/2022 10:14

I have a robin who thinks it lives in my house. If I open any of the windows at all, it flies in and then (if I am in, which I am a lot because I wfh) it panics and flies around shitting everywhere. I am so so so over it. What do I do? I love fresh air and like having my windows, but it just comes straight in and I keep finding bird poo all over the place and I have a one and a three year old and I don't want crap all over the place. This morning, I caught it and chucked it out - and I actually just want to kill it now. I know it sounds silly, but I hate having random bird poo everywhere (it stains the carpets, it's GROSS). Is there anyway of humanely convincing it that it doesn't live here? (Yes, I've googled and I know about the fact that it's a sign of approaching death, which doesn't improve my mood.)

OP posts:
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7
Kitchenlight · 09/09/2022 11:00

I had a similar problem with a cockeral. It would squeeze through a home in the hedge each day from the neighbours house and come into my living room. I also worked from home. It would have really really noisy conversations with its reflection too. No fights though. I actually had a cockeral and they became friends and would strut around together. Eventually i gave my cikeral to the neighbours to eat and the neighbours cockeral got the message and stayed away.

Kitchenlight · 09/09/2022 11:01

The difference is that I quite enjoyed the drama!

SilverCatStripes · 09/09/2022 11:02

Sorry OP because I have nothing helpful to add apart from this thread has really cheered me up !

MyNoseIsCold · 09/09/2022 11:04

It could be one of those helpful Disney birds coming to help you with the dishes or to sew a ball gown. Have you tried singing?

AnotherCrazyBirdLady · 09/09/2022 11:04

Please don't take it far away and release it - the local robins there will attack and kill him as they are fiercely territorial. It'll be coming in either to attack its' 'rival' (his reflection), or there's something in your house that he wants to get at - have you got anything in your house that is the same colour as a robin's breast? Studies have shown they will fiercely attack items of this colour.
I would recommend some yummy treats in the garden quite far from your windows - live mealworms are a particular favourite, so he starts to associate that area with food, and spends less and less time being territorial.
And also yes, hang things at the window - hawk stickers etc, but nothing reflective!
We had a robin that used to come in, but he was after the mealworms we kept in the kitchen, and only ever poo'd in DP's pint glass😄

Goldenbear · 09/09/2022 11:06

Kitchenlight that is a really dark anecdote so you anthromorphised them by suggesting they became 'friends' but you gave his friend to his owners to be eaten!

Mfsf · 09/09/2022 11:08

Mosquito net Will help you , please do not kill the bird .

Scoobyblue · 09/09/2022 11:12

Please don't kill it.

PlumPudd · 09/09/2022 11:14

Tough one @dancemonke I think your options are….

1 Sell your house, either to the robin itself as it’s so keen or to some RSPB members who will probably think a resident robin is an asset.

2 Build a cardboard and papier-mâché full size model of your house in the garden, in the hope the robin goes in there instead.

3 Look into Robin whisperers

4 Get a hypnotist to make you believe you can no longer see the robin, so you and it can then peacefully coexist

5 Sit the robin down and have a firm but polite chat with it where you agree to some sort of sharing scheme. E.g. the robin gets the house on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, you get Tuesdays Thursdays and the weekend

6 Break into neighbouring houses and leave small trails of robin food (worms, cheese, fat balls etc.) leading up to and into their homes in the hope the robin chooses a new home to frequent

7 Ring Bill Oddie

BlooberryBiskits · 09/09/2022 11:16

MyNoseIsCold · 09/09/2022 11:04

It could be one of those helpful Disney birds coming to help you with the dishes or to sew a ball gown. Have you tried singing?

🤣🤣🤣

thunderhoney · 09/09/2022 11:22

PlumPudd · 09/09/2022 11:14

Tough one @dancemonke I think your options are….

1 Sell your house, either to the robin itself as it’s so keen or to some RSPB members who will probably think a resident robin is an asset.

2 Build a cardboard and papier-mâché full size model of your house in the garden, in the hope the robin goes in there instead.

3 Look into Robin whisperers

4 Get a hypnotist to make you believe you can no longer see the robin, so you and it can then peacefully coexist

5 Sit the robin down and have a firm but polite chat with it where you agree to some sort of sharing scheme. E.g. the robin gets the house on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, you get Tuesdays Thursdays and the weekend

6 Break into neighbouring houses and leave small trails of robin food (worms, cheese, fat balls etc.) leading up to and into their homes in the hope the robin chooses a new home to frequent

7 Ring Bill Oddie

This made me laugh!

TwoLeftSocksWithHoles · 09/09/2022 11:23

I think you need a sparrow - with a bow and arrow.

knackeredagain · 09/09/2022 11:24

I’d love a little robin friend. Sorry OP, I know he’s a pain in the arse, but this has brightened my day up!

LapinR0se · 09/09/2022 11:26

Oh man. I am so jealous now I really want a resident robin

SlightlySummerStill · 09/09/2022 11:29

dancemonke · 09/09/2022 10:25

Thanks for the flyscreen suggestion, but I like having the bedroom windows open as well as the kitchen and sitting room French windows. I'm not spending what could well end up being over a hundred pounds on keeping one robin out of the house! If any one of the windows are open for a second, it's in.

You can’t kill the bird, so just add a little temporary screen/ fly net, available to stick on your window, on Amazon. Just cut to size, to cover the opening.
Just this, and it will solve your problem.

BellaTheDarkOverlord · 09/09/2022 11:30

Dolls house and leave it outside? Maybe it just needs a home 😀

RealBecca · 09/09/2022 11:30

You also need to look at your legal responsibilities under the wildlife and countryside act. You cant just take them, keep them, move them or kill them.

SlightlySummerStill · 09/09/2022 11:30

My Grandmother had a visiting Blackbird for years, and before that another bird I think, she opened her kitchen door, and fed it raisins, daily, it sat on the bench in the kitchen and chatted to her. ( well you know, what ever birds do)
No mess, just a daily visit

ClumpingBambooIsALie · 09/09/2022 11:31

SlightlySummerStill · 09/09/2022 11:30

My Grandmother had a visiting Blackbird for years, and before that another bird I think, she opened her kitchen door, and fed it raisins, daily, it sat on the bench in the kitchen and chatted to her. ( well you know, what ever birds do)
No mess, just a daily visit

Yeah robins don't do that 😒 They spew shit in an apparently constant stream.

longtompot · 09/09/2022 11:32

Don't kill it, or take it far away as that's just a death sentence. This site has a lot of useful info on why it might be flying in and how to stop it. One suggestion is hanging up cds outside the window which deters birds. It works for crops in gardens so should work for your window birdingoutdoors.com/why-do-birds-keep-flying-into-your-house-answered/

ClumpingBambooIsALie · 09/09/2022 11:32

I'D ONLY JUST STARTED CLASH OF KINGS GODDAMMIT

Kitchenlight · 09/09/2022 11:33

Goldenbear · 09/09/2022 11:06

Kitchenlight that is a really dark anecdote so you anthromorphised them by suggesting they became 'friends' but you gave his friend to his owners to be eaten!

Yes

i felt very guilty for a while

i had another chicken but it wandered off

ClumpingBambooIsALie · 09/09/2022 11:34

Sorry. Still salty about that.

I had no way to wash that sleeping bag the entire rest of the holiday 😐

CakeMonster1 · 09/09/2022 11:35

Spanielsarepainless · 09/09/2022 10:58

It's not only unreasonable but illegal under the Wildlife and Countryside Act, as is keeping it. Releasing it five miles away would work for the time it would take to fly back to its territory. Screen your windows or try feeding it (mealworms, sultanas, tiny cubes of mild cheese) in one specific place in the kitchen, On the doormat perhaps, so it doesn't go everywhere, then gradually move the feeding station to outside the door. They are bright birds and respond well to human training with food.

This!

Totally agree.
OP Please contact the RSPB , do NOT kill this poor defenceless robin. İt's cruel and unnecessary as well as illegal. Get wildife assistance, they'll come out and take it to a safe place.

AmeliaLila · 09/09/2022 11:37

Don’t put the poor thing in a box and drive it far away, it will have a heart attack out of stress!