There is a bird that has done the same thing every day for almost three years. This ‘thing’ that it does is at considerable physical harm to self. I have watched it do this ‘thing’ religiously in awe of it’s stupidity or, optimism. Surely there will come a time when it realises that what it's doing isn’t getting them the desired results. (Or maybe I am the stupid one and it is perfectly happy repeating this same process, day in, day out.)
We have some reflective patio doors and this bird flies into every single pane, full pelt, cracking its superbly strong beak before flying off for a few minutes, maybe more, before returning to start the process all over again. I’m not a bird whisperer and therefore have no idea why it would do such a thing. Three years on and I’m still non the wiser.
I have sought the council from some of the wisest people in the land on how to deal with this annoyance. Ideas have ranged from ‘shot it’, to hanging plastic sheeting, (which spoils our view and looks shocking), to finally hanging some see through cotton which blows playfully in the wind, allowing us to see out while stopping the ego maniac bird from seeing it’s own reflection. Every now and then I take down the cotton and within minutes, maybe an hour, word has gotten out and the bird has returned on it’s seemingly kamikaze mission.
I no longer care for the reasoning behind this birds actions, my question is, what reasons do you keep doing the same thing, over and over again while expecting different results, and why?