Bird flew into window

[jackie j]

Not very good at identifying birds but last night one flew into flowers bedroom window, first time this has happened in 20 years of living here, it landed on the windowsill amd somehow got down to the back doorstep, it was still alive.
OH put it in a basket with a seed tray on top to stop the cats getting it but it died anyway. What should we have done in case this happens again.

[shirlthegirl43]

They go into shock and get cold and that is what kills them. What I have done on a few occasions is hold the bird quietly in my cupped hands (dark and warm) until I feel it flutter about, then remove 'top' hand and wait quietly until the bird is feeling well enough to fly off. This can take 20 mins. However, there will be times when the bird does not recover (if it hit an upper window and suffered a long drop to the ground).

Somewhere I have a picture of a kingfisher sitting on my hand - it flew into my window at work!!

[HeyWayne]

My brother once ran into my parents patio door - knocked it clean off the runners. I'm not sure he's ever been right since...

I'm guessing you don't have any net curtains/blinds jackie?

[Peanut]

You can buy silhouettes to stick onto your windows, the images deter the birds, they come in different designs, a spiders web and a Raptor I think.
I've got the spider web and haven't had birds hit that window since.

They're available from most of the online bird food suppliers, but as Wayne says nets/blinds are best.

[Rowan]

I've had several birds hit my windows - most recently a goldfinch that bounced off into the birdbath and drowned, poor thing. This is despite having stained-glass butterflies stuck inside the glass. The house I grew up in had a constant stream of casualties - there was a big bay window, and the birds just seemed not to see it. They often break their necks, and then of course there's nothing you can do. Other times, they hit the glass so hard that you get a ghostly image formed out of the dust in the feathers - very strange.

[kernowyon]

we once had a wood pigeon hit our patio doors, the thump was quite violent and we had a 'dust angel' there for a couple of weeks - rather spooky but beautiful at the same time, you could actually see the individual feathers. (the pigeon just looked around dazed for about 30 seconds then flew off)

[Raven]

aww, poor thing As was mentioned above I think the best thing to do is put them somewhere dark, quiet & warm so they can get over the shock. I usually put them in a cardboard box (with ventilation holes!) with some nesting material in the bedroom & close all the curtains. Sometimes, they are concussed for half an hour or so & will get up & want to be off so keep an eye on them!
Birds with a broken wing I've taken to the local vet or nearby rspca/ wildlife centre.

[jackie j]

Thanks for the advice flowers was in her bedroom at the time and she had curtains open ( unusual for her she normally has them shut ) It gave her the fright of her life. As its never happened before and its a long narrow window didnt think about birds flying into it.
and yes it is a long drop down, caught one of my sons leaning out once when he was a toddler just after we moved here, ( 20 years ago ) dont normally open bottom window.
I didnt think the bird would survive when it happened.

[rivercottagewannabe]

unfortunately I havent been able to save any of the 7 birds that hit my house last month as I have 2 cats that get to them before me or they have simply broken their necks. It is shame really as I have tried to avoid such mishaps by putting up nets in all my back windows.

The strange thing is they didnt hit the windows, they hit the actual house and the telegraph pole in the derelict garages next door.

List of KIA

4 blackbirds
1 magpie
1 sparrow
1 wood pigeon.

dont know if some sort of thermal brought them down, but has scared the wife real bad as they all did in a space of a week.

[areia]

rcw sunglare perhaps or mirrors?? you know the ones people use in there driveways,did they happen at certain times of the day do you know, may be a far fetched idea just a thought

[Rowan]

Weird - puts me in mind of an old children's TV series (and novel) "Codename Icarus", in which a school for geniuses had a secret weapons program that shot birds out of the sky. Not running anything like that, are you?