A caring member of the public recently heard a rather loud bang on his window, and went outside to discover a concussed sparrowhawk laying on the ground.
Luckily he was extremely quick to act, and was kind enough to take the bird to his local vet for assessment. Although no broken bones were found, he is presenting some quite serious neurological symptoms which are preventing him from flying. This usually points to symptoms of concussion such as swelling of the brain, or in the worst case scenario, a spinal compression that will cause detrimental lasting effects.
Although this bird is now safely in our care, we cannot currently predict the outcome of his injuries - we need time to monitor and assess the long term damage. Sadly, many impact cases end in euthanasia - especially if the symptoms are limiting the ability of flight, and therefore, survival.
Only time will tell with this particular case…however prevention is far better than cure, and there are a few things you can do at home to prevent situations such as this…
Although some birds collide during a chase, most do so because they see a reflection of the sky and trees in the glass and it looks like an inviting place to fly into. Other times it may be because there is another window or mirror in the room making the bird think there is a way through.
If you have a particular window which is prone to attracting unwary birds, the hazard can be reduced in the following ways:
Bird deterrent tape
Apply strips of tape to the outside of windows, spaced about 2.5cm apart.Window silhouettes
Place close together, about 1 hand’s distance apart. You could also use decals, stickers, sun catchers or old CDs to create a reflective deterrent. Remember: placing just one or two window stickers on a large window is not going to prevent collisions - they must cover most of the glass ensuring the spaces between are too narrow for birds to fly through.Soap
Apply a thin film to the outside of your windows.Film
There are window films available that are transparent on the inside but opaque on the outside.No plants
Move indoor plants away from the windows so birds are not attracted to perch on them.Tactical placement of bird feeders
For predatory birds such as sparrowhawks, tactical placement of bird feeders (away from windows and near to cover such as trees or hedges) will greatly reduce the odds of small songbirds being chased into windows, giving them a chance of escape.
If you find an injured owl or bird of prey, call SOS for emergency advice on 03456 807 897 (opt 5)