Q. I found a bird that hit the window. What should I do?

Although birds can hit windows at any time of year, this situation is most common to encounter during the spring and fall, when countless songbirds migrate along the great lakes corridor, many of them coming right through Toronto’s downtown core. During migration periods you may find tiny birds who have hit windows sitting motionless on the ground beside an office building or a store, for example. Because of their small size, they are often mistaken for babies. Check out the photos below for examples!

If you have found a bird who you think has hit a window, check for the following symptoms:

• Blood on any part of the body

• Any apparent swelling, such as an eye swollen shut

• Eyes “bulging” (due to swelling underneath)

• Apparent injury to any limb, e.g., holding wings asymmetrically, one leg sticking out at an angle

• A skewed beak, i.e., the top and bottom tip of the beak not lined up

• Any balance abnormalities, e.g., the bird lying on its side or back, the bird’s head turned at an unusual angle

• Not flying away more than one hour after hitting the window

If none of these symptoms are present but the bird does not fly away when approached, it may just be temporarily stunned from the impact and require a short recovery period.

Contain the bird in a cardboard box with air holes and place the box in a warm, dark, quiet place away from people and other animals. Leave the bird in the box for 30 minutes.

After 30 minutes, take the box outside (close to the spot where found but where the bird will have a clear path of flight). Open the box and stand back. If the bird still does not fly away, call our wildlife hotline at 416-631-0662. Follow the voice prompts to leave a message about a sick or injured animal.

Check out www.flap.org for more information on why birds hit windows and tips on how to prevent collisions by making your windows bird-friendly.

These small songbirds, and other similar-looking species, commonly hit windows on their migratory path