Each spring, hundreds of thousands of birds embark on perilous migrations north, facing storms, predators and blinding city lights. During April and May, it’s common to find an injured bird along the roadside or beneath a window. When that happens, wildlife rehab group Help Wild Birds has a simple—but crucial—tip: “Always place injured birds that can’t stand up by themselves in a ‘doughnut’ and place them in a box. Do not give them any food or water.”

By “doughnut,” they mean a towel or soft wrap shaped into a ring to prop the bird upright. Keeping the bird upright allows its air sacs to inflate and deflate so it can breathe. Feeding or watering a struggling bird can lead to aspiration pneumonia—a hidden danger that can kill. As their post explains, “You can very easily aspirate an injured bird and that alone can kill a bird.”

If you find a hatchling with exposed skin, keep it warm too. A low-heat pad under the box or a microwaved rice sock nearby can help. Then contact your local rehabber and let the professionals take it from there. Take care, and help our feathered neighbors make it safely home.
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