Usually I hear the resounding 'bang'....this time I didn't.
It was cold, real cold, like 10 degrees, when I found the bird sitting up-right, eyes closed, and a lot of blood flowing from the beak. The glob of blood had congealed, so I knew it had been there for 30 minutes or so.
What do you do?
Open a paper bag - away from the bird (so they are not frightened by the noise), or have someone else open a paper grocery bag. Put several sheets of paper towel on the bottom (not towels, the talons/toes become entangled in the threads), put bird in, fold the top, or just bring the sides together. I use a bull-dog paper clip to hold it closed. Place bag with bird in a dark, safe place. I use the powder room for cool recovery, and the pantry for warm recovery. We have a freezer in the pantry and it keeps that small space warm. We also have in-floor heating, so the bottom of the bag is on a warm surface.
This bird needed warm and dark. I left him there for 3 hours. No food, water.....just quiet, dark, undisturbed. When I had picked up the bird, I heard the gurgling-wheezing of fluid/blood in the respiratory tract, the crop, and that is usually a bad sign. That sound plus the loss of blood, all suggested that the chances of the bird living were lessened, and that a fair amount of head damage had occurred. Sometimes this species (Yellow-Bellied Sap Sucker, or other wood-peckers) swallow their tongues or bite their tongues on impact......also not good recovery chances, because they use their tongues to eat.
When it was time to check on him, I fully expected to find that he had died and then I would offer him to the wild critters of the forest. BUT, he was strong and well. Assisted this bird for 3 days, did a practice flight in secure room, then released. Very rewarding to have this success.
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