The other morning, right after the kids left for school, I heard an odd, unexpected thud against the front door. I went to investigate, thinking one of the kids had heaved the newspaper up on the porch and hit the door by accident. But, much to my surprise laying on the front step was the most beautiful ovenbird.
What was so confusing at first when I saw him, is that we don’t get ovenbirds around here in the neighborhood, let alone have one fly into the house. A house finch, house sparrow or even a cardinal maybe, but not an ovenbird. He must have hit terribly hard since he was already dead by the time I opened the door. I asked my mom what she thought, and she suggested maybe it was migrating since all her birds have been leaving northern MI the last week or so in preparation for winter. I don’t know for sure what brought him here or confused him so much, but that was a very sad way to start the day. We decided a little burial was appropriate, so he now resides in my garden.
Don’t be too quick to bury ;I had one come back to life after I gently set it up on a safe deck area ( away from my dog,at the time). So it had only been knocked out. The windows can be too reflective & confusing to migrating birds.
That’s true. I’ve seen birds get knocked out before by running into windows so like you suggested, I gave him time. But he must have hit too hard and was definitely not going to make it.
I think your mom is right. They are migrating and many bird varieties migrate at night to avoid predators, and often run into things that kill them. I guess being tired, they do it in daylight too. I agree, sometimes bird recover if not knocked out too long. Very sad.
I just read a good article on the Cornell “All About Birds”site on migrating birds and the dangers of buildings and windows. It’s really a hazard to these migrating birds.