This immature Cooper’s hawk was admitted from Laporte, CO on 10/12 after hitting a window the previous evening. This bird suffered some significant head and body trauma from the impact. After a couple of days of pain medications,fluid therapy and some time in one of our oxygen cages, this bird has perked up quickly. He is still a little unsteady,but that didn’t stop him from readily eating his mice today. Hopefully we will be able to transition him to one of our outdoor recovery enclosures soon.
We admit many accipiters like this Cooper’s hawk this time of year. The young of the year are dispersing and seeking out their own territories for the winter and window strikes seem inevitable. Low light conditions in the morning,evening and on cloudy days provide prime conditions for such impacts. The birds don’t recognize the windows as barriers in such conditions and frequently hit windows while pursuing their prey (other birds). That is why it is always a good idea to locate your bird feeders (accipiter feeding stations) away from the larger windows of your house. This will help minimize window strikes and keep these magnificent birds in the wild where they belong.
