Contra Costa Times, Walnut Creek, Calif., Gary Bogue column: Gary Bogue: Titmice: Mirror, mirror, on the wall get out of my face!

Sun. November 08, 2009; Posted: 03:17 PM

Dear Gary:

I have always enjoyed the titmice and chickadees that reside in my backyard and frequent the feeder.

However, over the past couple of months we have been harassed by "Titmouse the Terrible."

This bird attacks the upstairs back windows from dawn until dusk (I'm sure he sees that "other" bird; his reflection). I'm going to have to replace the screens, because he has actually made large holes in them.

He also displays aggressive behavior at the feeder and in general, vocalizing very loudly wherever he is.

At first I thought he was defending a nest, but the behavior seems to have gone on too long for that alone.

I'm not sure if this titmouse qualifies as dumb or just super aggressive. Maybe both!

Lynn, San Ramon

Dear Lynn:

I have this theory that some little songbirds have more trouble adapting to the "urban wilderness" (our backyards) than others.

Males of many species are very territorial. This attitude is usually magnified during nesting season when males drive other males of the same species out of their territories to keep them from breeding with "their" females.

This is when we usually see males aggressively trying to chase those other male reflections out of nearby windows.

The rest of the year most male songbirds seem to ignore window reflections.

Most male songbirds.

Every year I get reports of a few males that

don't seem to be able to cope too well with windows or shiny surfaces. They seem to go berserk every time they see their reflections and fly around twittering (muttering) to themselves.

If they were humans we'd probably call them neurotic. How would you react if every time you turned around you saw another "you" coming after you?

I don't think Mother Nature ever intended for birds to live in a Hall of Mirrors.

Poor little guys.

Dear Gary:

I'd say smart birds are the ones I saw lined up on the curb of a parking lot on a very hot day in Weed, CA, outside a restaurant.

As cars parked, the birds would pick the dead bugs off the grilles and front bumpers.

Why waste energy chasing bugs on a steamy day when you can just wait and have them brought to you?

Pat Corr, Martinez

Dear Pat:

Hey, eating freeze-dried bugs, just like little backpackers. What can I say?

Beastly things to do

--ARF's 6th annual Wine & Whiskers is 4-7 p.m. Nov. 14 at ARF, 2890 Mitchell Drive, Walnut Creek. This is a great event featuring tastings from some very popular wineries and restaurants. Tickets are $75 per person and all proceeds benefit ARF's programs. Call 925-296-3118 to buy tickets. More details at www.arf.net.

--CLARIFICATION: The Berkeley-East Bay Humane Society's 4th annual Purrcasso Art & Craft Sale and Gala, noon-4 p.m. today, has been moved to a new location at 1809 4th Street, Berkeley. More details at www.berkeleyhumane.org.

A final note

My wife and I were on vacation in Southern Utah a few years back and our tour guide/bus driver was a local man who grew up in the area around Zion Park.

My wife asked him what the difference was between a crow and a raven. He answered by saying that both liked the pinion nuts that grew in the area, and when a crow flew out of a pinion tree it would be with one pinion and when a raven left the tree it would be with two pinions.

So the difference between a raven and a crow is a matter of a pinion. (Alan Close, El Cerrito)

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