We were having breakfast when a bird flew into my garden. I wanted to see what kind it was. It was a small bird, definitely not a Chickadee. I got up and started moving toward the patio door to get a closer look, but then, suddenly – BANG.

The bird had flown out of the tree and collided with the glass of the patio door. I jumped at the sound. Okay, I screamed too.

The bird landed just in front of the door and appeared to be lifeless. I was sure it hadn’t survived the collision. But then, I saw its wings start to fold in, and it began to move. Oh, thank God, it was alive. It was definitely shaken, but it was still breathing.

I watched for a while. The bird was sitting on its little feet, very still, with its eyes closed. I started to have doubts. Later, I identified him as a Yellow-rumped Warbler, definitely a juvenile. I couldn’t tell if he was injured or not.

I waited a few more minutes.

I’m not one to bring wildlife into the house and keep them as pets. The reality is, wildlife has its own way of surviving, and we have our own challenges. I prefer to keep the two separate.

I prepared a small, warm container with some tissue, just in case. My plan was to place him there and then tuck him somewhere in the backyard, out of sight from predators. Before placing him in the box, I gently poked him to make sure he wasn’t injured.

To my surprise, he flew straight up to the tree. I felt a wave of relief. The warbler was fine.

Later, as I continued with my breakfast, I heard him singing. I felt even more at ease.

I also heard crows, which prompted me to investigate further. I went outside and walked over to the tree to see what the warbler had seen when it flew into the patio door. He was still there, sitting quietly on the branch, hiding.

After gathering all the clues, I came to a conclusion.

Crows are known to prey on smaller birds, and it seemed that the Yellow-rumped Warbler was a juvenile seeking shelter from the crows. The presence of the crows confirmed my theory.

When I looked at my patio door, I noticed a reflection of the trees. My fridge handle also appeared to resemble a hole in the tree. So, when the warbler landed on the real tree, he must have mistaken the reflection in the door for a tree hole and dove toward it for cover. Unfortunately, it wasn’t a hole, and he collided with the glass, getting shaken up in the process.

It turned out to be his lucky day, though. He escaped the crows and survived the crash.

COMMENTS

kaslkaos said: October 20, 2011 at 15:26

“If a bird is stunned by a window collision, it’s perfectly okay to give them some TLC. It can help them pull through. In mild weather, just leaving them in a sheltered spot will help. In winter, they might need some warmth. I once brought a goldfinch in, I thought it would die, but it was my window he hit, so I wrapped him and kept in my sweater. It took more than half an hour to feel some movement, then I but him in a towel lined box until he was steady, and released him to fly away and hour later. Since we are the ones putting window’s in their way, we probably owe them that much. Gorgeous photo of the warbler, BTW.”

Anna Lozyk Romeo said: October 20, 2011 at 17:39

“Kaslkaos thanks for the tip, just hope not to have anymore collisions. TLC is good for everyone.”