Hummingbird Hit a Window — What to Do Right Now

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Take a breath. Finding a hummingbird lying on your deck after a window strike is alarming, but many birds survive if you respond correctly in the next few minutes. The wrong response — picking it up and trying to feed it, keeping it warm in your hands — can do more harm than good.

Here's exactly what to do, step by step. —

Step 1: Get It Off the Ground Immediately

A stunned hummingbird lying on the ground is vulnerable to cats, squirrels, and other predators. Your first move is to gently scoop it up — cup both hands around it without squeezing — and place it somewhere safe.

You don't need to do anything else yet. Just get it off the ground. —

Step 2: Place It in a Dark, Quiet Box

Find a small cardboard box — a shoebox works perfectly. Poke a few small air holes in the lid. Line the bottom with a soft paper towel.

Gently place the bird inside, close the lid, and set the box in a quiet, room-temperature spot away from pets, children, and noise.

Do not:

• Put food or water in the box
• Try to open its beak and feed it
• Hold it in your warm hands trying to comfort it (your body heat and heartbeat are stressful to a stunned bird)
• Put it in a hot car or direct sunlight

Darkness and quiet are the two things that give a stunned hummingbird the best chance to recover. —

Step 3: Wait 20 Minutes

Set a timer for 20 minutes. Most window-strike birds that are going to recover will do so within this window.

After 20 minutes, take the box outside. Open the lid slowly. A recovered bird will often launch itself out immediately. If it sits there looking around, give it another 5–10 minutes with the lid open — it may just need a moment to reorient. —

What "Stunned" Looks Like vs. Truly Injured

A stunned bird looks unconscious or dazed. It may be limp, lying on its side, or sitting upright but unresponsive. It's alive, but its brain is temporarily scrambled from the impact.

A truly injured bird shows physical trauma: a wing drooping at an odd angle, bleeding, one eye cloudy or swollen, or inability to grip a perch after full recovery time.

Stunned birds recover. Injured birds need professional help. —

When to Call a Wildlife Rehabilitator

Call a licensed wildlife rehabber immediately if:

• The bird is bleeding or has visible wounds
• One or both wings hang lower than normal
• After 30 minutes in the box, it's still not responding or can't fly
• It's flying but crashing repeatedly (neurological damage)

You can find your nearest licensed hummingbird rehabilitator through the National Wildlife Rehabilitators Association (nwrawildlife.org) or by calling your local wildlife agency. Do not attempt to care for an injured hummingbird at home beyond the temporary stabilization steps above — it's illegal in most states without a permit, and hummingbirds have specific nutritional needs that are very hard to meet without training. —

How to Prevent Window Strikes

Once you've gotten through this crisis, take steps so it doesn't happen again.

The two-foot or two-meter rule: Window strikes happen because glass looks like open sky. Feeders placed closer than 2 feet (60 cm) to a window are actually safer — birds hit at low speed before building momentum. Feeders more than 15 feet away also give birds time to see the window. The danger zone is 2–15 feet.

Window decals: Decals work — but only if they're spaced correctly. UV-reflective decals (which birds can see but humans barely notice) should be placed no more than 2 inches apart horizontally and 4 inches apart vertically. A single decorative decal does very little.

External screens or netting: A physical screen or mesh on the outside of windows is the single most effective prevention method.

Move the feeder: If strikes keep happening near one specific window, try moving the feeder to a different location. —