According to data from the Bird Conservation Network, more than 100 million birds in North America die each year from hitting windows. These accidents most often occur during mating in the spring. Keeping wild birds is illegal, but you can nurse the birds for two hours to recover from a crash.
Step
Method 1 of 2: Helping an Injured Bird
Step 1. Don't interact too much with the birds
It is possible that the bird has a concussion, therefore the bird should not be stimulated as much as possible. Stimuli can worsen the bird's condition. If the bird's legs and wings are injured, the bird should be treated by a veterinarian.
Step 2. Get ready
If birds crash into your windows frequently, have a small towel, a small box (a shoebox or similar), gloves and safety glasses (if you have one).
Step 3. Observe the injured bird
Often the bird will take a few minutes to recover. You should keep an eye on the bird and make sure no predators attack it before it recovers. If the bird hasn't recovered after 5-6 minutes, it's time to act.
- If you are in doubt about being able to help the bird, take the bird to the nearest vet.
- Birds can still fly short if their shoulder is injured. However, birds cannot lift their wings above their shoulders so they cannot fly high.
- Shoulder and wing injuries required medical care and rehabilitation for several months. If the bird appears to be seriously injured, take it to the vet immediately.
- If the bird is unconscious, it means the bird has suffered a blow to the head and needs a safe place to recover.
Step 4. Take a towel and a small box
The chances of a bird recovering from a lethal concussion will increase if kept away from all stimuli. Prepare a small opaque box and fill it with a towel or soft cotton cloth.
If the injured bird is large enough, tuck a towel into the bottom of the paper bag and staple or tape the mouth of the bag and leave a small opening for air passage. However, if the bird is large enough and could injure you, it is best not to touch it and simply call the vet
Step 5. Pick up the injured bird
Use gloves and safety glasses if possible. Hold the bird face up so it can breathe. Grip firmly but do not squeeze. Hold it by the wing near the bird's body.
Step 6. Place the bird in the box and close the lid
Make sure the box has air holes. Put the box in a safe place out of the sun. Protect birds from predators, such as cats.
Step 7. Check the condition of the bird periodically
Check your box every 20 minutes for 2 hours. If the bird looks fine, take it outside.
Step 8. Release
After two hours, take your box to the park or forest and open the lid. Watch the bird you save fly high.
Step 9. Contact a veterinarian
If after two hours the bird is still unable to fly, consult a veterinarian. Contact an expert who has special expertise in caring for birds.
Do not keep birds for more than two hours as this is considered illegal
Method 2 of 2: Preventing Collisions
Step 1. Move the bird feeder
If the bird feeder is close enough to the window, the bird will not be able to fly to the window so quickly that it hurts itself. If the feeding area is far enough away, the bird will be able to recognize the window and not fly into it.
Ideally, bird feeders should be placed at a distance of less than 1 meter or more than 10 meters from the window
Step 2. Use white curtains
Birds are attracted to the shadows of the natural environment reflected from windows. Install curtains or blinds to block the reflection of light. This way the birds will hit the windows less often.
You can also stick a sticker on the window. However, in order to effectively prevent birds from hitting windows, the stickers should be affixed at a distance of 5 cm from the horizontal side and 10 cm from the vertical side. Your view in the window will likely be blocked
Step 3. Place the gauze on the window
This gauze will do double duty. Birds hit windows less and less because their reflections are blocked by the gauze, and bird strikes against windows are dampened by the gauze, reducing the risk of injury.
