Injured woodpecker recovers and flies free

This hairy woodpecker has flown into a glass window and badly stunned herself. Luckily for her, the window that she chose to fly into belongs to a veterinarian. She received a quick examination and it appeared that she had no obvious injuries. She was limp and had laboured breathing. This can be a sign of internal injuries. It's also possible that birds can sustain wing or spine injuries with such collisions.

The first thing that the veterinarian did was to check for bleeding and signs of broken bones. The little bird was then placed in a box with ventilation and a soft towel under her. She was given a heat pad and placed in a quiet, dark room for several hours. After a brief rest, the woodpecker was mobile again. It appeared that she would be fine without further treatment.

The bird was taken outside to an area with lots of trees so she could quickly seek shelter. The moment she was free to fly, she took to the air with a chirp and headed for the evergreen trees. This was a beautiful moment for the family who had helped her. Having survived those few hours, there was every reason to hope that she would recover completely.

Hairy woodpeckers are natural predators of the European corn borer moth, an insect that costs the North American Agriculture industries billions of dollars each year in crop losses. They are a friend to farmers and to vegetable consumers alike. They also eat other insects that destroy trees and bore holes in tree trunks.

Male hairy woodpeckers have red plumage on their heads, while the females are purely black and white. Bird enthusiasts and nature lovers entice these birds to the back yard feeders with seeds, nuts, and suet, especially in winter. They are a very pretty bird and a delight to see at the feeder.