Messy Cardinal (aka "Turd Bird")

[figgydee]

We have a cardinal that insist on looking at himself on our car's mirrors, which results in him leaving a long trail of bird feces when he's done. Is he vain or just really scaring himself whenever he looks in the mirror?

[wildwood]

Actually, you are not that far off the mark! The bird obviously regards its image as an intruder in its territory and, as many animals, voids its lower intestine to get ready for fight (or flight).

[evi]

I have the sameish problem we have a common black bird who looks in the mirror of our car nad starts to attack the mirror, it doesnt help that it has been eating cherries off the tree and we have a white car. I think that it feels threatend when it sees an image of itself in the mirror.