Berserk Broadwing Auditions for Remake of "The Birds"

[Alfred Maley]

We’ve always sought to bring nature close by planting fruiting trees near the house. Perhaps we’ve gone too far. A Broad-winged Hawk has discovered its image reflected in our living room windows and insists on sitting on the windowsill and pecking at its image, with an occasional flutter of its wings when that fails to drive the intruder away. See some photos at

https://www.flickr.com/gp/133607729@N08/2240V3

The hawk goes all around the house, trying to find its enemy. Last night it landed on the tree on our deck and glared at the sliders while we sat and watched, just nine feet away. It probably discovered its image because it happened to land in one of our trees while hunting.

(I originally thought it might be a female since it called vehemently, as if hungry. But now I have no idea. I once thought that it was just the males that pecked at mirrors, but I know now that’s not true. Last winter in Spain we were working in the campo and would leave the vehicle nearby. A pair of Stonechats would tag-team both rear view mirrors, the male on one side, the female on the other. In warm weather we’d leave the windows open and the Stonechats would fly through the car, from one mirror to another, stopping occasional to rest and poop on the steering wheel.)

While I thought we should shoot the hawk before it broke a window, Linda argued dissuasion. So I shouted obscenities at the hawk and waved my arms in its face and it seems to be getting the message. It has not attacked the window for a day now.

Incidentally, we couldn’t plant trees by the deck because of the septic system, so we cut saplings from the forest every 4-5 years and “plant” them in specially constructed sleeves attached to the deck. These Ironwood (Ostrya virginiana) trees are abundant on our lot and are tall, slender and easy to manipulate, so they work well. However, almost any small tree would work. Birds love to pause in the leafless trees on their way to the feeder or just while crossing the yard. The male hummingbird perches there for hours at a time. Now, Broad-winged Hawk has been added to our deck-tree species list.

Al Maley, Hampstead