Sometimes you go to the birds. Sometimes the birds go to you.
This time of year, a few birds knock themselves cuckoo by hitting our windows. And they’re almost always the same species. The Veery.
This happened yesterday. Heard a smack against our bedroom window. On the ledge below, there it was: A Veery, dazed and confused.
It was breathing hard, eyes closed. Then eyes half open. An hour later it had flown away, glad to say. That’s the usual outcome, although I’ve seen them DOA on occasion.
During migrations I’ve seen dazed birds on the sidewalks of Chicago under hi-rise buildings. All kinds, including Veerys. I’ve also seen American Redstarts there, and other warblers.
Northern Flickers, too (you wouldn’t expect this of a hard-headed Flicker). And once, even a Woodcock that bystanders were calling an odd pigeon. They were right about the “odd” part. Ever see a Woodcock?
But when it comes to birds hitting my suburban windows, Veerys top the list. In fact, they own it.
Coincidentally, a two-fisted nature girl named Denise just emailed a cell-phone photo of a bird she’d found near her house. It was dazed and confused. I knew that look. Denise asked if I could I.D. the bird.
“Veery,” I replied, and she wrote back, “I think it’s something else.”
Maybe she’s right. There’s a bunch of Veery look-alikes. The Hermit Thrush, Gray-cheeked Thrush, Swainson’s Thrush.
Whatever the name, it was a wild bird that got concussed by a window. It was dazed and confused. I was dazed and confused, myself, last night after a few beers. Just ask the friends I was out with.
The good news is that today’s another day. And also that Denise’s bird—whatever it’s called—snapped back to life and flew away. If you ask me what it was, I’d still say Veery. Am I sure?
I’ve got a one-word answer for that. Figure it out.
NYC Audubon has published the Bird-Safe Building Guidelines, available at http://www.nycaudubon.org/home/BSBGuidelines.shtml with more information on this critical problem. Studies suggest that between 89 Million and 890 Million birds collide with human structures every year, making this the second leading cause of decline among birds after habitat loss. Solutions exist, but public pressure is needed to move them forward into the marketplace.
J Gyr – What? Read the instructions?
Thanks for the suggestion. In the event I hung a few giftwrap ribbons from the top of the storm door. It looks like a four year old’s decorations for a birthday party, but they’re not whacking my door any more.
Thank you for leaving it hang!!! One word…figure it out…great ending for the story and I have my word. But my wife says it’s a different one. Mine is not really something I want to say at this point. Hints forthcoming?
Check out David Sibley’s page on birds and windows.
http://www.sibleyguides.com/2010/08/new-york-times-on-windows-and-birds/
I’m getting a lot of bird hits on my storm door. I’ve got four kinds of dove – OK, 3 kinds of doves and roof rabbits. All but the white winged doves are exotics: roof rabbits AKA rock doves, Eurasian collared doves and Eurasian ring necked turtle doves complete the roster. In the heat of the action I can’t tell if its the white winged, collared or turtle doves that are charging my door, but I suspect the Eurasian varieties are to blame. No casualties so far, just a lot of feathers on the walk and dusty splat marks on the glass.