can the birds get used to a mirror?

[maru]

Hi!
I built my aviary in a place that has a very big mirror, which is very glued to the wall, so it is very difficult to take it out. Besides, I didn´t do it, and now the mirror won´t fit through the aviary door...
At first I covered it with paper, but I fixed the paper to the mirror with masking tape, but I think with the hot environment the tape unglued a little and the glued side was exposed, so one of my gouldians got stuck there... he left many feathers stuck, it seemed like he was going to die, but he was very very sad one day, I put him in a separate cage, and next day he was like nothing had happened, it was unbeleivable.
But what we did was we put a plastic canvas over the mirror, and tied it with a rope, but one corner was not very near the mirror, there was a small space between the mirror and the canvas, and it was ok for several weeks, but one day we found the same gouldian dead there...
I temporarily glued that corner with masking tape, and I will try to find a way of fixing it in a more secure way, but out of curiosity (because it will be very difficult for me to do it, since I have put nests an perches in front of the canvas), I wanted to know, if I uncovered the mirror, little by little, day by day, so the birds could see that it is a mirror, do you think that they could get accostumed to it and don´t hurt themselves?
I don´t know if you were able to understand a word I wrote. I am sorry for my bad English. Anyway, as I told you, the only solution for me now is to find a way of safely covering the mirror, but I was curious to know if birds can be in a place with a mirror.

[cindy]

here is an idea...go to Home Depot and get a piece of lattice (you may need to do this in sections) or plastic or plastic covered mesh and adhere over the mirror. You can hang nest boxes and nest on it...even some silks.

I would be afraid they would fly into it since it might look like open space to them.

[maru]

THank you, Cindy. I will try to do it, but I will have to wait some time, because now I would have to move nests in which there are babies... Well, in one nest there are 3 babies, I have seen them, and the hen is feeding them alone, since the male is the one who got stuck and died. In the other nest I don´t know if there are eggs or chicks, since the parents won´t get out and let me see. So for the time being, I will use tacks or I will keep thinking how it can be safe.
I also have a question of why the parents can be tossing their chicks from the nest (I have a pair of shaftails, too), or if I should put something on the floor so they don´t die when they are thrown out. I put it in the breeding topic.

[annague]

I think some birds can get used to a mirror but I recently took on a bird that had been owned by someone else and had been in a cage with a mirror forever and she was STILL trying to fly through it when she was scared. (Then, again, I have swinging mirrors in most of my cages and the birds dont try to fly through them anymore).

So, I think it depends on the bird and the situation -- I like Cindy's suggestion (better safe than sorry!)

[can]

Hi - I think it depends on how big the mirror is. Like a window, birds will view mirrors as open space, unless there is something on the surface of the mirror/window to tell them to slow down or that they can't fly through the area. You can do this by adhering a pattern to the mirror. The spacing between the pattern should be 10 cm apart (or smaller as finches are small birds). I know you're worried about using tape as one of your birds has gotten stuck to it, but what if you used black electrical tape and applied it directly to the mirror in a grid-like pattern. Or maybe you could find some non-toxic paint (for children) and try painting a pattern on the mirror. (But I wouldn't paint greenery, it maybe confusing to the birds).

Please note, however, that these are just ideas and I have never tried them myself. If you think you would like to try one of my suggestion, you may want to test it out in a safe area away from your birds first.

[lovemyfinch]

Can has an excellent idea.
I would try just painting the mirror with a water based child safe paint.

[cindy]

This is also another idea....shower door film. It comes frosted, with designs and in colors. I would air the roll out for a bit with out the wrapper on it (just in case their is an odor, most come in boxes and seem to be ok...it is like the film you use on windows to cut out the sun and heat.

[maru]

Ok... you have given me several good ideas, I will think which one to take, but for now I´ll wait until the babies get out of the nest. I´ll let you know, and when the babies get out (hopefully) I promise to send photos.
Thank you very much, I still have questions, but next one is about health, and I´ll post it in that topic.