Blue Ridge Wildlife Center Patient of the Week: American Redstart

It’s time to prep your windows—Fall Migration is already underway for some bird species!

This female American Redstart is recovering in one of our supplemental oxygen enclosures after striking a window. On intake this bird was having difficulty breathing, a symptom we often see in window strikes.

Despite this bird being incredibly active and capable of flying, she would not be able to sustain flight for long due to the ongoing bleeding in her lungs caused from the trauma of colliding with a window.

We often see birds who strike windows develop worsening symptoms as the hours pass before they improve with treatment.

Remember—a window strike is a medical emergency for these birds!

Do NOT attempt to release them without having them evaluated by a rehabilitator or wildlife veterinarian.

Simply contain them in a box somewhere warm, dark, and quiet, and get them to your nearest bird rehabilitator as soon as possible. Time is of the essence in these cases!

You can make your windows bird-safe this season in a variety of ways, from using decals to window paint to screens, but most important is making sure there’s no more than 2″ of space between decals, paint marks, curtains, or other medium used on windows.

Birds don’t see a solid wall of glass—instead they see the reflections of trees and sky, and will fly towards the reflection.

Breaking up this reflection is key to protecting birds from these deadly encounters. Learn more here: BRWC Window Collision Prevention

Looking for an easy way to help native wildlife? Become a monthly BRWC donor! For as little as $5/month, you can provide year-round, sustainable support that helps us fulfill our mission.