Try to restrain the bird immediately. Place it inside a small container (e.g., unwaxed paper bag or cardboard box) and move the container to a dark, quiet, warm space. B. Contact your local wildlife rescue (see list below) as soon as possible and arrange for the bird to be transported to their facility.
Depending on the severity of the impact, it may take just a few minutes or up to 2-3 hours for a bird to recover, and during that time it should be stimulated as little as possible.
How to help a bird who has flown into a window. Gently cover and catch the bird with a towel and place her in a paper bag or cardboard box (with air holes) that is securely closed. Keep the bird in a quiet, warm, dark place, away from activity. Check on the bird every 30 minutes, but don't touch the bird.
Superstitious Beliefs about Birds Flying into Closed Window
Some believe the bird carries a goodwill message, while others believe it's a message of death. So generally, according to all traditions, a bird hitting your window signifies change. But as we said earlier, a bird hitting your window is a natural occurrence.
Check the legs and feet for stiffness. The muscles in the legs and feet of dead birds will be stiff while birds that are just stunned will still have relaxed muscles in their feet and legs. Check the eyes. If you can see no blinking or movement in the bird's eyes, then it is probably dead.
Birds that are in shock appear weak, unresponsive, fluffed up and breathe in slowly and out quickly. Place the bird in a quiet, semi-dark, warm, humid environment. Warmth is essential in getting birds through a state of shock – temperature should be between 25 and 30 degrees.
Signs include seizures, ataxia, tremors, head tilt and blindness. Head trauma is common if the bird is free flying.
Many bird rehabilitators agree that any stunned bird needs proper care. If it's safe to do so, place the bird in a shoe box or a similar box with a lid with a paper towel or cloth under the bird for stability. Once the bird is secured, contact your local wildlife agency or wildlife rehabilitator for guidance.
Window strikes are among the top three human-related cause of bird deaths, along with cats and habitat destruction. Up to one billion birds die each year in the United States due to collisions with windows and research shows that 54-76 percent of window collisions are fatal.
She could be ready to go after just one week. However, recovery can take up to a month for a more serious injury, and by that time, birdie will have lost some of the muscle definition needed to fly, so she'll need some rehabilitation.
An injured bird should always be passed onto a local vet, RSPCA in England and Wales, SSPCA in Scotland, USPCA in Northern Ireland or an independent rescue centre, so it can receive appropriate treatment without undue delay.
A severe head-on collision often results in brain bleeding and neurological damage even if the bird is somehow able to fly off on its own. If so, it will die shortly. More likely you find that bird on its back and bleeding from the mouth, or its neck will appear broken; and it will have labored breathing.
Many birds are able to fly off after window collisions, but if they are knocked out or stunned and on the ground they should be gently picked up and placed in a warm, dark, sheltered place for at least two hours.
Place the wild bird in a cardboard box and cover it with a lid or towel. Then place the box in a cool, safe place to give the wild bird time to recover from the shock of the injury. Be careful when handling the injured bird; use gloves to protect yourself from any disease or germ.
For most injured birds, place them gently in a box and keep them quiet, dark and cool. It may be that the bird is in shock and will soon recover so you can let it go. If it is more seriously injured, this will reduce stress on the bird until you can get advice on how you can help it.
Birds are often in shock after colliding with a solid surface. If step B is not possible, allow the bird time to recover inside the container (1-2 hours). Do not attempt to feed or provide water to the bird. Later, try to release the bird in suitable habitat away from the window.
Concussions, fractures or lacerations can all occur with head injuries. Birds can often recover quickly from seemingly serious head injuries.
Just open your hand and be patient—you can gently touch its tail to see if that speeds up the process. Most birds with minor concussions recover within an hour or two if they're going to recover at all.
Important: For the bird to have the best chance of recovery and release, you must contact a rehabilitator right away and transport the songbird there immediately. Don't ever try to care for the bird yourself. In most cases, the chances of the bird surviving and being released back to the wild are almost non-existent.
After colliding with glass, some birds may be only temporarily stunned and without lasting injury — but often they are not so lucky. In many of these cases, birds suffer internal hemorrhages, concussions, or damage to their bills, wings, eyes, or skulls.
A bird with broken neck is often a type of injury that leads to immobility or even death. It is unfixable. In this case, euthanasia is the solution to end the bird's suffering.
In the instance that you've found a trapped bird please call our helpline on 0300 1234 999 during the hours of 8am-8pm.
If you see a sick, injured or orphaned raptor or bird of prey e.g. eagle, owl or hawk, please keep your distance, do not touch it or try to contain it. Please contact immediately WIRES for rescue assistance. Australia is fortunate to have a large number of native bird species and all native birds are protected.
If you find a sick or injured bird, contact a wildlife rehabilitator or local veterinarian to see if they are able to care for it. Make sure you call first as some clinics don't have the facilities to isolate sick birds, and can't take the risk of spreading a communicable disease among their other birds.