Birds that survive window strikes often need appropriate first aid and rehabilitation. Understanding what to do after a strike can save lives and prevent unnecessary suffering.
The suffering of a bird after a window strike ranges from rapid death, which is the best outcome, to prolonged disorientation and internal injury that causes a slow death. Appropriate first aid that provides recovery conditions prevents deaths that would otherwise occur from secondary causes — exposure, predation, or further injury while the bird is impaired. The welfare imperative is brief, appropriate intervention followed by either successful release of a recovered bird or referral to rehabilitation if recovery is incomplete.