Injured birds of prey should be given to an experienced bird of prey keeper or raptor rehabilitator to look after. Please contact Raptor Rescue, RSPCA/SSPCA/USPCA or a vet for advice on the best course of action.

If you can’t transport it immediately:

1. Keep the bird in a warm, dark, quiet place.
2. Do not give it food or water. Feeding an animal an incorrect diet can result in injury or death.
3. Do not handle it. Leave the animal alone.
4. Keep children and pets away from it.

Chicken necks ,backs and wings are also excellent hawk feeds. I have even fed hawks raw beef kidney for a week or so at a time. Hamburger is not satis- factory because of the high fat content and because hawks have difficulty eating ground meat. Pork is not recommended because of the danger of trichinosis.

London Wildlife Protection – for injured wildlife anywhere in London call 07909 795 064; RSPCA Putney Animal Hospital, 6 Clarendon Drive, Putney, London SW15 1AA.

Provide fluids: Birds not eating or drinking need to be hydrated immediately after a period of warming. Use a spoon or small syringe to try to get the bird to drink on his/her own (Pedialyte or 100% fruit juice such as apple, pear, or grape).

Birds go into shock very easily when injured, and often die from the shock. If a bird has hit a window and is still alive, it may just need a little time to regain its senses, then may be able to fly away. Do not try to force feed or give water to the bird.

There is no set time for a bird to remain in shock, as it depends on what impact the bird sustained. If it was a harsh impact, it could take several hours for the bird to recover. But sometimes, it only takes a few minutes.

Depending on the severity of the impact, it may take just a few minutes or up to 2-3 hours for a bird to recover, and during that time it should be stimulated as little as possible.

Watching for signs of shock in Birds Shock usually is a result from physical or emotional trauma, such as but not limited to, being terrorized by a cat, to much blood loss, infection, poison or dehydration. Handling a bird that is in a state of shock may aggravate the situation and cause death.

For most injured birds, place them gently in a box and keep them quiet, dark and cool. It may be that the bird is in shock and will soon recover so you can let it go. If it is more seriously injured, this will reduce stress on the bird until you can get advice on how you can help it.

Traditionally, the death of a bird is a sign of new beginnings, an omen of renewal. If a bird flies into your window it might mean that you are about to encounter an obstacle in your life. But again, because it is a sign of renewal, that obstacle, once removed will reveal something newer and better in your life.

In addition to a spoon, a plastic medicine dropper, syringe, or even a small piece of cardboard can be used to place the food right next to beak or directly into the mouth. Give only small amounts at a time, and make sure it’s being swallowed.