Curious bird

[allanb]

For three days, several times a day, a small bird has been tapping persistently on the glass of our front door, or on a window beside it.  I'm no expert on birds, but from photographs I would say it's a tit of some kind.  There's a bird feeder not far away, so as the weather gets colder there are plenty of other birds around, but we think it's only one that's behaving in this odd way - at least, we haven't seen two doing it together.

Sometimes he perches on the woodwork while tapping; sometimes he just hovers - it must be hard work.  I don't think there's anything on the inside that would attract him, even if he can see through the glass. 

He may be she, of course, but my wife says that a female would not do anything so stupid.

Does anyone know if there's a likely explanation for this behaviour?  The only thing we can come up with is that he's forming a romantic attachment to his own reflection.  But isn't it anyway the wrong time of year for that sort of thing?

[Bugsy]

You're wife is right, it's a male thing.

Warning off a rival etc.

[val douest]

We have blue tits which occasionally perch on the window frames and peck away at the putty round the glass.  Apparently it contains linseed oil which they find attractive - each to their own I suppose!

Val

[odile]

apparently it sees it's reflection as a male rival! males are so stupid!

[cassis]

There is a blue tit tapping on the window as I type.  This is a sign to the occupant that the bird feeder needs refilling.  Great tits don't do it.  They always send the blue tits on the errand.

http://www.normandie-chambres.co.uk/birds.html

[Nell]

You could say it was a "Right tit" or a "Daft tit" [:D]

[odile]

LOL

[allanb]

[quote user="cassis"]This is a sign to the occupant that the bird feeder needs refilling.[/quote]That was our first thought, but the feeder is full; in fact sometimes another bird will be feeding while our friend is tapping on the door.

[quote user="nell"]You could say it was a "Right tit" or a "Daft tit"[/quote]I wondered how long it would be before somebody mentioned that.