Q. I saw a bird that looked injured, but when I went to help it, the bird flew away! Was it really injured?
A. It is difficult to know for sure. Below are some situations that can happen.
Some birds perform what is known as broken-wing display. This is done when a predator is detected near a nest. The adult bird will pretend to be injured by dragging one of its wings across the ground to lure the predator away from the nest and any young. It is thought that there are around 285 species in the world that do this, including Killdeer and other ground nesters. In this case, the bird can fly away and is not injured.
It is also common for hawks to sit in a tree for hours. They could be digesting if they recently ate something or could be keeping an eye out for potential prey. This bird is also not injured, is able to fly and does not require any help.
If a bird hit a window and flew away after being temporarily stunned, there is a good chance this bird is injured. With window collisions it is not uncommon for a bird to die even if it is able to fly soon after the impact. There is often internal bleeding or bruising that ends up being fatal for the bird. It could also have an injury to its jaw or eyes, that while still able to fly may have difficulty hunting or eating.
Without knowing the specifics, it is difficult to know if this bird was injured. If you see it again and still have concerns, contact your local wild bird rehabilitation centre for advice.
