Entrapments and window strikes

Rescuing birds from buildings can be very tricky, and time-consuming.

This week, we received a report of a hawk entrapped in a warehouse. Thankfully, the bird found its way out on its own, but that's not usually the case.

Entrapments often happen during hunting - when a hawk swoops down after prey, usually a small bird. The angle of its dive or pursuit of its prey can send it through an open doorway and into a building. Startled, the hawk instinctively flies upward.

Entrapped hawks usually panic and keep flying back and forth, but rarely down. It’s worse if the structure has skylights or high windows because the bird will keep trying to escape through the glass.

Entrapments are serious emergencies and should be reported right away. To reduce the chances of a bird entering a large doorway, we suggest hanging streamers, CDs, or balloons to deter small birds and the hawks that prey on them.

Hanging, shiny objects can also help reduce window strikes.

Window strikes occur when a bird sees the reflection of the outdoors in a window and flies into it, head on. Worse, is when a bird can see straight through a window to the outdoors on the other side of a building.

Please check out these tips and techniques for reducing collisions around the home, HERE, and for commercial buildings, HERE.

Purchase WindowAlert Ultraviolet decals from WildRescue, HERE.

Collisions with windows also occur in cities, where light attracts and confuses migrating birds. Please don't miss this great video from Fatal Light Awareness Program (FLAP) that explains the hazards birds encounter in our cities and what you can do to help.