How safely rescue birds that fly into your house.

(from SVBC charter member and master bird bander, Judy Richardson)

Sadly, we’ve all found a bird below our window, either stunned or killed by the impact. There are just certain times of day that our windows seem to, disappear, and birds think they’re just flying through the woods. Our heart breaks when they hit the window hard enough to kill them. The stunned birds usually sit there; keep your cats and dogs inside, as it can take a while before they fly off. If they are in the sun; I have picked them up and put them in a shady shrub where I can keep an eye on them as they recover. Or if it’s cold, I put the inside in a box with a saucer of water. If it’s a hummingbird, offering a bit of sugar water can mean the difference between life and death! I hope you read the last post about Ceci Sansonetti ‘s rescuing a tiny White Crested Coquette.

Now we come to the always interesting “bird chase“ through your house! Has everyone had this happen? In Connecticut, where I live, I always have a Carolina or House Wren come to visit! They are cleaning the insects along the doors and windows and then lose track of the exit! Panic sets in. For me, the investment of a $15 butterfly net has helped enormously! Since it’s usually my in screened porch, I leave the door open and eventually out she goes. Otherwise, from a long-handled distance, I can coax the birdie closer to the exit without causing panic!

Once in Costa Rica, I had a Green Hermit slide in the door after feeding right outside it. The butterfly net helped guide it out, even though my ceilings are very high.
That net has taken out Scorpions, Wolf Spiders, and hornets! I’ve even caught the odd butterfly, just for close-up viewing purposes!

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How to hold a bird in your hand so that neither you or the bird get injured. The bird bander’s grip.

Small birds—

(photo courtesy of Judy Richardson)

Larger birds—

More than any other bird family, hummingbirds have the most charming names. Hell, there’s even a hummingbird (found around San Vito) that is named the Charming Hummingbird! This post is about a hummingbird that not only has a cute common name but also a cute scientific name; and on top of all that this bird is jaw-droppingly cute…the White-crested Coquette (Lophornis adorabilis).

Recently, our San Vito neighbor and San Vito Bird Club charter member Cecelia Sansonetti had a very close encounter with a White-crested Coquette (see below). The tiny male Coquette, not much larger than a Sphinx Moth (which it resembles) flew into her house.

‘I naturally thought it was a Rufous-tailed Hummingbird or even a Stripe-throated Hermit,’ Ms. Sansonetti relayed to me. ‘When I got closer, I couldn’t believe it; a White-crested Coquette.’

Many of us have had hummingbirds fly into the house. It can be a challenge to safely rescue these smallest of all birds before they smash into a window or simply succumb to exhaustion. But Cecilia, with her many years as a Master Bird Bander, knew what to do.

‘I waited until the Coquette was on the floor, then I gently grabbed it up using the bird banders’ grip*. I could see the poor thing panting with its beak open looking greatly fatigued.’

Holding the bird securely with her right hand, ‘Dr.’ Sansonetti then somehow managed to mix up just the right prescription, one designed to recharge her weary patient…a bit of sugar water.

Hummingbirds, as you know, have an astoundingly fast metabolism and must take in calories regularly–or starve.

‘This hummingbird first happily took in some regular water…drinking and drinking like a crazy guy. Then he took in a bit of sugar water I held out to him from a spoon. After that he looked much cooler so I put him in a shady spot outside. And guess what?’

‘What?’

‘The female Coquette was waiting for him up in a tree and the two of them flew off together. It’s so good to know the White-crested Coquettes are nesting near me.‘

Sometime in the next few weeks, we’ll post an article with tips on what to do if a bird does fly into your house or into a window. And we will show you how to use the *bird bander’s grip*.

White-crested Coquette on the floor. Photos courtesy of Cecelia Sansonetti

White-crested Coquette, in hand.

I’m no genius but I can read the writing on the website wall; and that writing tells me that our ‘Bird Joke’ feature is laying a big egg…and that’s no joke.

Ergo, this posting of Bird Joke #5 (and Bonus Joke) will be the last one. Hopefully, someone from our crack editorial staff will come up with a new feature; a feature more enthusiastically received by you, our SVBC readers.

Here’s Bird Joke #5, from SVBC member David Fielding:

A guy is out hunting and sees a hawk flying high above him, so he shoots it. As he’s retrieving the dead bird a game warden happens by and arrests him for killing a federally protected bird of prey.

Later, at the courtroom, the man tells the judge he’s been out of work for many months and only shot the hawk because he hadn’t eaten in days. The judge decides to let him off with 6 months probation.

As the guy is leaving the judge says, “Hey, what does hawk taste like anyway?”

The guy says, “It’s very similar in texture to Osprey but the taste is more like Bald Eagle.”

And now our Bonus Joke, from SVBC member Nancy Nelson:

There were many dead crows on highways in the Rocky Mountains this year. Ornithologists suspected it was due to vehicles hitting the crows.

This was surprising because crows have adapted to feeding on carcasses by having two birds watch from the trees while two other birds feed. If there is a vehicle coming, the two crows will shout out so the other birds can fly away.

After analyzing the accidents, it was found that 80% of crows were killed by trucks but only 20% were killed by cars.

Turns out crows are really good at yelling “caw caw caw” and not good at yelling “truck truck truck.”

A guy walks into a Psychiatrist’s office.

‘Hey doc, you gotta help me!’

‘How can I help you, my boy?’ replies the Psychiatrist.

‘It’s my brother, doc…it’s my brother!’

‘And what seems to be the problem with him?’

‘It’s terrible, doc; he thinks he’s an Osprey.’

‘An Osprey? You mean one of those big eagles?’

‘That’s it doc; ya gotta help me.’

‘Well how long has this condition been going on?’

The guy thinks for a bit and then replies; ‘Oh, I’d say about 18 months to two years now.’

‘Eighteen months to two years!!! Why have you waited so long to seek help for him?’

‘Well, we really enjoy all the tilapia, Red Snapper and trout he brings home.’

(From SVBC member Nancy Nelson)

Two Turkey Vultures were preparing to migrate north for the summer but, after talking about it, they decided they were too old to fly all that way. So they decided to take a plane.

When they were about to board the aircraft, the flight attendant, noticing that both buzzards were carrying a dead armadillo, asked, “Would you like to check those armadillos through as luggage?”

“No thanks,” the buzzards replied, “they’re carrion.” 

(From Harry Hull, SVBC Charter Member and Webmaster)

A very hungry and enterprising duck gets separated from his flock and lands in the pond of the grassy commons of a  small New England country town. He soon notices that across the street from the commons is a general store. It’s a very active place, this general store. He sees people going in empty-handed and coming out with bags of food and other less important stuff.

After a day or two of surveillance, the duck finds his courage and waddles into the store. The proprietor, a kindly old fellow, looks down at him from behind the long counter and asks, “How can I help you?”

The duck replies: “Quack-quack-quack— got any corn?”

The proprietor says: “No, I’m afraid not. No corn.”

The duck: [agitatedly] responds, “Quack-quack-quack-quack!” and he leaves the store disappointed.

The next day, the duck returns to the store, hopeful things might have changed.

The proprietor, somewhat surprised to see the duck again, says “Can I help you?”

The duck: “Quack-quack-quack—got any corn?”

The proprietor quickly replies: “No! We don’t have any corn! Sorry.”

The duck agitatedly retorts; “Quack-quack-quack-quack!” He leaves the store, again disappointed.

The next day, ever hopeful, the duck enters the store again.

The proprietor, again very surprised to see the duck; “Can—I—help—you”?

The duck says: “Quack-quack-quack—got any corn?”

The proprietor: [quite angry now] “Hey, like I told you before, we do NOT have any CORN! Now get out of here before I NAIL YOUR FEET TO THE FLOOR!”

The duck once again replies; “Quack-quack-quack-quack-quack!” and hastily leaves the store.

A few days go by. The duck is getting very hungry now, enough to overcome his fear of the proprietor and goes again into the store.

The proprietor, immediately annoyed to see the duck bellows, “YOU again….!”

The duck: [swallowing hard for a duck] “Quack-quack-quack—got any nails?”

The proprietor: [a bit surprised] “No, we’re totally out of nails.”

The duck: “Quack-quack-quack—got any corn?”

(From SVBC charter member Judy Richardson)

It’s 6:30 in Connecticut, dawn is just starting. As I cobble together my first cup of coffee, I look out to see a Belted Kingfisher atop my Wood duck box. He and she often use it as a fishing spot.

Typically for fishermen, a lot of watching and waiting, then the occasional quick dive into the river. No luck again! But wait, today is different! As I look, a six inch long fish wiggles frantically as the Kingfisher bangs it again and again against the  Wood duck box. And then with one quick flip, it’s gone. Breakfast is over!

It’s fun seeing the drama in nature.