are birds afraid of mirrors

Youre worried your bird is not getting enough attention from you. Or maybe it starts out more simple. Perhaps your cockatiel has developed a crush on the toaster or the bathroom sink faucet. Whats wrong with giving your bird a mirror? Everything. Mirrors are psychologically damaging to your bird.

Birds a very social creatures. It is because of their strong flocking instincts that they can make such great pets. Many owners give their pets mirrors because they are afraid their bird will get lonely. If you are giving your bird its due attention and providing it with toys to play with while you are gone, you have no need to think your bird will become lonely.

So what exactly do mirrors do? The first thing most people notice is increased territoriality. Bird behaviorists are often contacted about cockatiels who are so attached to the toaster that they will viciously bite anyone who comes near it. They will isolate themselves from their owners and throw a fit if not near their buddy. Sadly, this is a lesser problem that mirrors cause.

The real problem is this: mirrors give your bird an incorrect perception of reality. They are NOT talking to another bird, they are talking to a reflection. Reflections can only mimic- they do not react in the same manner as a real bird would. Think of it this way: you have a young child. This is your only child so instead of letting him play with kids down the street you get him a mirror. The kid spends all his time talking and playing with his reflection. When he turns fifteen years old you send him to high school. How well do you think hes going to socialize with real people who may not agree with him, may not like his looks, may look different than him, etc?

It is true that not all birds will eventually come into contact with other birds but lets be realistic here. How do you know that down the line you wont want another bird? How do you know that something might not occur that will force you to have to sell or give away your bird? Does the possibility that it may never meet another bird justify improper socialization?

Allow me to give you a case in point. In fall of 1999 I adopted a mitred conure, Fry. A woman had caught him outdoors in Southern California. He had been dive-bombing some local gardeners. He stayed with her a year before she ended up giving him to a friend of hers. This lady had him for six years. During that period, he had a mirror on top of his cage and had no access to real birds. His owner had just had a baby when I acquired him. This, and the fact that her husband hated the bird, were her motivations for giving him away.

I brought Fry home and immediately noticed that he lacked the ability to keep himself entertained, an essential skill for pet birds. I offered him plenty of toys but he ignored them. His cage was located on my dresser, which had a large mirror attached to the back. I covered the mirror with a towel but he chewed it to shreds to get to the mirror. I re-covered the mirror and moved the cage out of reach so he couldnt chew it while inside. About a week later he started playing with the toys. He also became more interested in people. Instead of hanging out on top of his cage all the time or trying to steal my sun conures food, hed jump over to my desk to watch me and Jay-Jay (the sun).

So what do you do if you have a single bird? Though it is not necessary, you can buy a second bird after the first one is tamed. If you do not want two birds, just make sure to give your bird lots of attention and keep those mirrors away! Birds can be kept singly just fine, but access to a mirror will teach them bad habits, as well as make them territorial and withdrawn.

Why do they do this?

Their obsession with “the other bird” is closely related to the season. You could say that the birds’ personalities have changed from winter to spring. They split off from their winter flocks and adopt a new way of thinking that is entirely focused on mating and nesting as a result of a hormonal surge that occurs in the spring. You have a neighborhood full of fervent avian individuals who are driven to defend their mates, nests, and territories.

What then are the precise functions of mirrors? Most people notice that they become more territorial initially. Bird behaviorists are frequently contacted regarding cockatiels that are ferociously attached to their toasters, biting anyone who approaches them. If they are not with their “buddy,” they will act out and separate from their owners. Sadly, this is a lesser problem that mirrors cause.

The true issue is that mirrors mislead your bird’s perception of reality. They are conversing with a reflection rather than with another bird. Reflections are only able to imitate; they do not react as a real bird would. Think of it this way: you have a young child. Since this is your only child, you should get him a mirror rather than letting him play with kids on the street. The child converses and plays with his reflection all the time. You enrol him in high school when he turns fifteen. How well do you think he’ll get along with real people, who might not share his opinions, dislike his appearance, or look different from him, etc.?

You’re concerned that you’re not giving your bird enough attention. Or maybe it starts out more simple. Maybe your cockatiel has a thing for the bathroom sink faucet or the toaster. Whats wrong with giving your bird a mirror? Everything. Mirrors are psychologically damaging to your bird.

When I first brought Fry home, I saw that he was incapable of amusing himself, which is a necessary skill for companion birds. I offered him plenty of toys but he ignored them. My dresser held his cage, and on the back of it was a large mirror. I placed a towel over the mirror, but in his rush to get to the mirror, he tore it to pieces. I covered the mirror again and repositioned the cage so he couldn’t chew on it inside. About a week later he started playing with the toys. He also became more interested in people. Rather than prowling around on top of his cage or attempting to pilfer my sun conure’s food, he would bound over to my desk to observe both Jay-Jay (the sun) and me.

FAQ

Do mirrors scare birds away?

However, to reach the roof, birds generally had to pass through a band of reflected sunlight and this did not appear to deter most species from the traps. The use of mirrors alone and mirrors reflecting sunlight have failed to repel starlings, pigeons, or gulls (Belton 1976, Seamans et al.

Is it OK to have a mirror in a bird cage?

It really depends on how your bird reacts to the mirror. Many birds love interacting with the bird in the mirror especially budgies and cockatiels. Some birds will react aggressively to the strange bird, in which case you do not want to leave the mirror in the cage. It will only stress the bird.

Why do birds fight mirrors?

When they see their own reflection in your window, they assume they’re seeing a competitor and attack the image. The species most likely to do this are those that nest close to houses, such as American Robins, Northern Cardinals, bluebirds, California Towhees, Chipping Sparrows, and Song Sparrows.

What do birds get scared of?

Generally speaking, birds hate strong smells, shiny objects, and predators, such as birds of prey and larger animals or humans.