Cooper’s Hawk Injured from a Window Strike

An immature Cooper’s Hawk was admitted to our Raptor Hospital on October 26th after hitting a window in Highpoint, NC.  Our team discovered that he had a fractured coracoid, one of the bones in his right shoulder.  A shoulder injury like this makes it impossible for a bird to sustain flight, power lift off, or gain elevation.  

After 57 days of rest, supportive care, and physical therapy, this little guy passed his final flight evaluation! Flight requires a combination of many movements to enable lift, gliding, hovering, steering, and flapping. Our team carefully observes and evaluates flight in the final stages of rehabilitation, to determine when our patients are ready for their second chance in the wild. 

Unfortunately, window collisions are a common cause of injury. Every year, nearly one billion birds collide with glass in the US. They don’t see windows as a barrier and often perceive reflections in the glass as a habitat they can fly into. Fortunately, small actions at home can make a BIG difference for birds! Turning off exterior and interior lights and adding visual cues on the glass help birds avoid collisions. For more detailed information on how to help, check out this USFWS resource.