- Do not give the bird anything to eat or drink.
Leave it undisturbed for an hour
or two.
If after this time it appears alert
and unharmed,
simply let it out of the bag or box
well
away from any windows.
- Handling causes great stress to the bird,
so avoid this if at all possible.
If you
must hold the bird in hand when you
go to
release it, do not launch it as this
will
disorient the bird. Just open your
hand and
be patient.
- If you have any doubts or concerns, call
your local wildlife rehabilitation
center
or Humane Society, or a veterinarian
who
has some experience with birds. If
you live
in the United States and need to
find a Wildlife
Rehabilitation Centre close to you,
click here.
- Cats and pesticides also pose a serious threat to birds. Keep
your cat indoors or build screened enclosures for them complete
with branches and other perches.
(The birds
and your cats will be safer!)
- Make sure that bird feeders and other attractants
( birdbaths, nutritious vegetation
) are
either less than one meter or more
than three
meters away from the window. If the
attractant
is very close to the house, the bird
cannot
build up enough momentum to injure
itself
should it hit the window. Alternatively,
if the feeder is three meters ( ten
feet
) away, the bird is less likely to
come close
enough to the house for a collision
to take
place.
- Finally, you can help find a solution for
this global problem by becoming a
member
of the Fatal Light Awareness Program
or by
making a donation. FLAP members receive
two
issues per year of the newsletter
"Touching
Down" as well as periodic bulletins.
If you live in the central southern
Ontario
region you can send injured birds
to the
Toronto Wildlife Center.
To pass on any ideas for preventing window
strikes that have worked for you, please
click here.
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