PSA: not all injuries fix themselves after a few hours in a box or under a collendar.

If you’re in DC, CitiWildlife on Oglethorpe St. will take it and rehabilitate it, if there’s a chance it can get better. Otherwise they’ll euthanize it humanely (no last moments staring into the fangs of someone’s dog).

CitiWildlife actually has a program involving birds that fly into windows, and they give the corpses to the Smithsonian which tallies them for research of some sort. Apparently some at-risk species are decimated by flying into buildings during migration every year, and this is pushing some species closer to extinction. Of course OP’s bird may be a starling or some such, but OP is trying to do the right thing.

If birds flying into this window is an ongoing problem, you can get nearly see—through decals that birds see more than humans.

I wouldn't let it suffer nor would I call wildlife rescue. It's a bird. Birds die. I would just use a shovel to cuts its head off and end it's suffering. But I grew up on a farm in the country. I totally understand that others might not be able to do it. Can you ask a neighbor?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Pick it up very gently, scooping fashion, keeping its wings against its body, and place it in a shoe box lined with a few paper towels and place the box in a shady spot for the time being. If you have a smaller shoe box that's probably better. Call your local animal shelter and they will hook you up with a rescue person who can rehabilitate the bird. Sometimes they just stun themselves, and with a little time (1-2 hours) they gather themselves and are fine. If you open the box and it flies away, best of all scenarios! But beware, sometimes they fly out of the box in a way to startle you.

Thank you! Does it need bread and water in there?

No, just leave it alone.

https://www.mnn.com/earth-matters/animals/questions/how-should-i-care-for-a-stunned-bird-after-it-flies-into-a-window

Thank you. This link is very helpful. It’s in the box and flaps periodically, but now I am just waiting for second chance to open.

Put a big pasta colander on it and let it stay like that for 2-3 hours. It'll be fine and fly away after that.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Just stomp the poor thing and scoop it intk your trash. They are not going to collect and rehabilitate a bird with a broken neck, on the Fourth of July. Welcome to planet earth.

NP here. ?? I'm truly serious. I couldn't do that.

Yes, I’m serious. Sometimes if I’m to squeamish to put a wounded animal out of its misery, I’ll let my dog out to finish it off first. Then dispose of the body. Better now than let it flap around suffering for a few hours, before attracting a hawk and dying anyways. Or dying somewhere weird on my property and being a big pain to clean up. Any idea how badly a dead animal will start to smell in this heat?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Pick it up very gently, scooping fashion, keeping its wings against its body, and place it in a shoe box lined with a few paper towels and place the box in a shady spot for the time being. If you have a smaller shoe box that's probably better. Call your local animal shelter and they will hook you up with a rescue person who can rehabilitate the bird. Sometimes they just stun themselves, and with a little time (1-2 hours) they gather themselves and are fine. If you open the box and it flies away, best of all scenarios! But beware, sometimes they fly out of the box in a way to startle you.

Thank you! Does it need bread and water in there?

Not necessary because temporary situation 1-2 hours. It might need a rehabilitator and it'll take a few minutes to track one down. I haven't read the link other PP suggested but another good resource?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Pick it up very gently, scooping fashion, keeping its wings against its body, and place it in a shoe box lined with a few paper towels and place the box in a shady spot for the time being. If you have a smaller shoe box that's probably better. Call your local animal shelter and they will hook you up with a rescue person who can rehabilitate the bird. Sometimes they just stun themselves, and with a little time (1-2 hours) they gather themselves and are fine. If you open the box and it flies away, best of all scenarios! But beware, sometimes they fly out of the box in a way to startle you.

Thank you! Does it need bread and water in there?

No, just leave it alone.

https://www.mnn.com/earth-matters/animals/questions/how-should-i-care-for-a-stunned-bird-after-it-flies-into-a-window

Anonymous wrote:Just stomp the poor thing and scoop it intk your trash. They are not going to collect and rehabilitate a bird with a broken neck, on the Fourth of July. Welcome to planet earth.

NP here. ?? I'm truly serious. I couldn't do that.

Anonymous wrote:Pick it up very gently, scooping fashion, keeping its wings against its body, and place it in a shoe box lined with a few paper towels and place the box in a shady spot for the time being. If you have a smaller shoe box that's probably better. Call your local animal shelter and they will hook you up with a rescue person who can rehabilitate the bird. Sometimes they just stun themselves, and with a little time (1-2 hours) they gather themselves and are fine. If you open the box and it flies away, best of all scenarios! But beware, sometimes they fly out of the box in a way to startle you.

Thank you! Does it need bread and water in there?

Pick it up very gently, scooping fashion, keeping its wings against its body, and place it in a shoe box lined with a few paper towels and place the box in a shady spot for the time being. If you have a smaller shoe box that's probably better. Call your local animal shelter and they will hook you up with a rescue person who can rehabilitate the bird. Sometimes they just stun themselves, and with a little time (1-2 hours) they gather themselves and are fine. If you open the box and it flies away, best of all scenarios! But beware, sometimes they fly out of the box in a way to startle you.

Anonymous wrote:Just stomp the poor thing and scoop it intk your trash. They are not going to collect and rehabilitate a bird with a broken neck, on the Fourth of July. Welcome to planet earth.

Flapping sits wings is probably a sign that its neck is not broken.

Just stomp the poor thing and scoop it intk your trash. They are not going to collect and rehabilitate a bird with a broken neck, on the Fourth of July. Welcome to planet earth.

Secind chances opens at 9. What do I do meanwhile?

Call a wildlife sanctuary.

Yesterday, it kept hitting the windows. Now, it is injured in some way. It flaps its wings and can get a few inches off the ground, but can’t fly. It’s been like this since about 5 when I got up. What do I do?

My cat is flipping out watching it through the window. So leaving it on the patio is not an option. Do I take it to an animal hospital?