What is this stupid bird and how can I get rid of it?

Every morning before dawn i am woken up by a stupid bird outside my window here in suburban Sydney. What is it and how do I get rid of it? I've tried shaking the tree, yelling obscenities, and I even bought one of those hooters that starts running races. Nothin scares away this winged fiend. In fact I think the hooter encouraged it. What can I do…I'm so sleep deprived and desperate…

Audio of this winged demon is here: https://streamable.com/jdvewp

Comments

  • +13

    Not sure the bird OP. Had the same problem until every time the birds made noise I squirted them with a water pistol. Took a few days of doing this persistently but can happily say the feathered friends/ enemies have left and have not come back since.

  • +1

    Might be attracted to its reflection in the window. Could try putting something against the window until it gives up.

    • +1

      sounds like one of those monkeybirds from Wizard of Oz

  • +38

    I don’t know, but now my dog is outside looking for it

  • +167

    I studied biology and did a lot of topics on birds and birdcalls, and I can tell you that I don't have a clue. I wasn't the best student.

    • Love this

  • +6

    Owl statue? Simplest solution ever, it works

    • +1

      don't birds eventually get smart about this?

      I've seen birds perched on scarecrows after a while

      • +2

        Yes, my local birds couldn't give a two damns about my owl statue anymore. In fact I think a magpie took it down once.

  • +59

    Bikies

      • +11

        I'd rather a comment with a neg than a sniping neg, so cudos for admitting to down voting the funny comment by perhaps

    • +23

      I charge by the hour

    • -2

      or give it bikies….. poisoned

      • Poisoned bikies? That might replace your bird problem with a bikie problem.

    • Urgh

    • You mean scarecrows… Bikies of the bird world.

  • +8

    Probably someone's squeaky wheel trolley impression.

    • Squeaky gate?

      • +1

        Sounds more like a plover. Extremely territorial. Nests on open plains/grass. Have sharp offensive spurs on their wings. Usually thought to be poisonous.

        • Poisonous?

          • @Jackson: Yeah, like the Platypus. People say the bird has poison glands connected to the spurs on its wings. I'm pretty sure that part's a myth, but they do have spurs.

            • @Kangal: From memory, the only poisonous birds are in PNG. A lot to do with the beetles they eat, and the oil on their feathers becomes poisonous.

              Put a movement activated Santa Claus on your window sill See who want to move out first!

    • Squeaky wheel gets the cheese!

  • +6

    I've heard that call before but couldn't name it to save my life.

    You could hang reflecting objects in the tree to keep it away.

  • +56

    It could be the annoying Gladius Berejiklian.

    • +9

      Awww I love that bird. No matter what pandemic problem emerges, she's up and ready to sing. A true trooper.

    • +4

      I actually search for that 'bird' … rip me

      • +1

        Damn. fell for it and googled it!

        • +1

          Im using duckduckgo

          • +1

            @frewer: just tried duckduckgo… same results :(

            • @Seni0r El Cheapo: I dont like google shady practice, hence Im using alt-search engine. Sometime the result is the same, but what is happening behind, during and after the search matter ( to me anyway )

    • The bin chicken

      • Now those i like. Brush turkeys are cool too

        • I was referring to Gladys :P

        • +1

          A brush turkey attacked me out of nowhere once when I was working on my car in the street.

          Around a year later, while on holiday in New Guinea, an agro brush turkey chased us along a hiking track.

          I mean what're the freakin' chances that bush turkey would holiday in the same place at the same time as me?!

    • +1

      Is that the sound that koalas make when they're dying?

  • are you sure don’t have a squeaky whirlybird?

  • +6

    These answers remind me of those "name this sound" competitions radio stations used to do.

    • +1

      It's been a looong while, driving to/from work

  • +65

    What is this stupid bird and how can i get rid of it?

    this worked for me: click on the 'X' in the top right hand corner of the window and it disappeared

  • -1

    Brisbane here, do what i did for the same problem… buy a cheap laser off eBay.
    Best $15 I've spent in a long time.

    • Laser pointer?

      • +48

        No. You’ll need much more power to fry the bird

      • +4

        Haha @Euphemistic and yeah just a laser pointer.
        Just your generic 532nm green laser pointer off eBay, try to aim it next to the bird.
        It's not about trying to fry their eyes, the green dot scares them away I've found.
        Crows hate them too.

        • -1

          Why would this be negged? Doesn't seem inhumane

    • +2

      buy a cheap laser off eBay

      BYO shark or is it included?

  • +19

    Go to bed earlier, then you'll already be awake when it starts conjuring it's inner-rooster.

  • +5

    Here I was thinking we were going to be trolled with this. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G2LBIFQEr2M

  • is it black and white? could be a butcher bird.

  • +16

    Well, everybody has heard about the bird.

    Infact, right now, the bird is indeed a word.

    So you can just say a-well, ev'rybody's heard about the bird.

    • +1

      Bird bird bird is the word……..um na na na …….repeat.

      • SUR FIN… BUUUUUURRRRRRRRRRDD

  • +42

    That’s a wattlebird. It’s a native species and you can’t legally harm it without risking a fine if caught.

    • +5

      Yep, definitely a Little Wattlebird. See the second audio file:
      https://www.graemechapman.com.au/library/sounds.php?c=549&p=…

      If anything I think you are lucky, as they can make much worse sounds than yours does!

    • Do they scare of owl, if so buy a plastic owl n put it up high

      • +1

        I got a plastic owl for balcony in Sydney. Absolutely did not work with noisy minors etc. If doing this I'd suggest the solar powered ones that wobble their head, or a hawk with wings out 'hovering' on a fishing line from the roof. May have more luck

    • +2

      Why is it the native birds that are always the loudest and most annoying. I like the personality of a cockatoo, but holy hell their squark is annoying!!

      • I'd imagine Kookaburra would be great to have around. I would be laughing my arse off along with them. Laughing therapy!

      • +2

        Bird calls were invented in Australia so ours are the masters of it (my memory of a documentary I saw a while ago).

    • +1

      Yes, this is correct. Wally the wattlebird in Melbourne too, and every spring when it starts getting lighter he wakes me up from around 5am. Removing all the flowering trees within 100m of your property would be one way to stop it.

    • +3

      Yep, it's a wattlebird - "Nature's Alarm clock"

      Here's a YouTube clip.
      https://youtu.be/OcxUndi2Lgg

      It's breeding season, so it's marking its territory with sound. Wait a few weeks and it will quieten down.

      • Except anyone who plays that evil YouTube video gets their very own wattlebird outside their window the next 5am !

    • damn this is the exact bird that came to mind when I heard it, but I never knew the name!

  • +34

    buy some cats!
    then u prolly have problems with cars meowing
    so buy some dogs, scare the cats
    then u have problems with barking dogs
    so buy a lion to scare the dogs
    then you have problems with lions biting
    so buy a elephant, sit on the lion
    then u have elepants breaking everything,
    buy a mouse! scare the elephant
    then u have a rodent problem
    buy a bird,……..

    • 'The King, the mice, and the cheese'. Loved that book when I was a kid!!!

    • and then when winter time rolls around the gorillas simply freeze to death

  • +2

    Ear plugs….. if this is an issue due to otherwise needing an alarm use your phone on vibrate under your pillow.

  • +25

    Nice bird. I don’t know why the fuss, there’s lots of worse noises in a city. Now the guy with the neighbour lifting weights, he has a real problem https://www.ozbargain.com.au/node/563787

    • +1

      That was a good read.

  • You move to another location!

  • +3

    If I'm not mistaken it's an elegant tit (Pardaliparus elegans).

    • +6

      Never seen one that made noises like that… Also usually found in pairs

  • +6

    It’s a Wattle bird. They are super annoying and when they come around you have no choice but to wait until they move on of their own accord. Good luck, we have felt your pain.

  • +4

    With all sympathy, because it's mostly treble some decent earplugs could be the solution.

    Or a waterpistol as others mention.

    Don't hurt it though. Pretty sure that's illegal.

  • +10

    The more you stress about it the more you will notice it and not be able to sleep.

    It is a native bird (don’t know what type) so you can’t harm it, and if you do another is likely to come along anyway.

    That said, you are lucky to not a Koel. Those thing are ear piercing.

    • +4

      Indeed, Koels are absolutely shocking. They are mega loud and they go all night. You don't get any sleep at all, it's not like they just wake you up before dawn, like many other birds. What's more, they are large birds and are not scared off by owls or other birds of prey.

      A squirt of water from a hose (if you can locate the perpetrator) is not much use as it either doesn't care or at best relocates for a few minutes and then returns back.

      Soundproofing may work for your particular bird problem, but for a Koel problem, it's best to move houses. They tend to return year after year. Good luck!

      • There is this one tree in my neighbours yard on our boundary fence. That damn bird comes to that tree every single year and I've been woken too many times at 3 am to be kind to it. I keep an uncoiled hose at the ready and I try to be vigilant at dusk, as that's usually when it arrives. A powerful torch helps to locate it and a good squirt up the bum usually drives it off for a few days at least in my case.

    • Yep. Even other birds hate them.

  • +7

    You obviously have issues and you should discuss this with your doctor to address underlining mental conditions.
    You have turned into the morning pest. Who on earth would honk starter horns early in the morning or start yelling profanities?
    This is nature… this is life… get a life!

    • I with you and this dude with a hooter ( I prefer woman with them ) should be reported to the council for : You can report residential noise to your local council. You can also report residential noise like late night parties to the police.

  • +3

    I’ve got the same problem. 😡
    He/she wakes me up exactly at 4am every morning for the past 2 weeks. It pisses me off because it’s not even at sunrise, still dark outside. Apparently, she/he is calling for his mate and has come from overseas. Long way to come for a mate with no guarantees! 🥰❤️💐

    • -6

      Save your emojis for snapchat and the like please.

      • -1

        Yeah, we don’t like sarcastic emoji’s around here 😞🐼

        • No sarcastic emoji’s here! 🥰💐❤️
          Not my fault you can’t find a mate! 🤣💋

      • Let me think…🤔……NO! 🤣💋💋💋

  • +1

    If you think one lousy bird is bad you should try a of flock of rainbow lorikeets who visit every spring and spend all day squawking for weeks on end.

    • +1

      At least lorikeets are pretty little things, while cockatoos are not, but screech at about 10-fold volume and always in flocks. Only seagulls are worse pests, in my book.

  • +4

    A hotel overseas that I regularly stayed at, had a pigeon problem. They would sit on the window sill and coo early morning and drive me absolutely nuts.
    In your situation, I would look at changing the environment. Trim the tree back and put a net over it. And/or research the types of trees that they love and plant one down the road on the nature strip, and thus redirecting them.

  • +20

    It’s currently mating season for a lot of our beautiful native (and protected) birds, so they are slightly more noisy than usual at the moment as they are going through their courtship rituals. So many species are struggling to just survive since we’ve destroyed so much of their habitat. Surely there are worse things to be woken by for a short time (and, yes, I used to be regularly woken by a giant flock of cockatoos flying over my house - way better than dogs barking or garbage trucks, in my opinion).

    • Noisy Mating and Flocking Cockatoos! I'd rather let the dogs out!

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