A call late yesterday afternoon for raptor-rescue turned out to be--at least I hope--a happy false alarm. The bird in question had been perched, seemingly immobile, on the railing of a third-floor deck all day, with no inclination to move at the homeowners' approach. As many people do, they decided it was a raptor, and asked The Raptor Center for a rescue.
The bird was a C. Nighthawk, with no apparent injuries. It was flattened out prone on the railing, facing into the sun, looking like every other Nighthawk I've ever seen lying at rest in day-time on broad branches---which is a grand total of two, since most of the time I've only seen them on the wing, hunting. This one was indeed reluctant to move when approached, but it took note of me and actually gave a hissy alarm call. Then it got up on its short legs and began inching away from me, raising wings a bit in the process. There seemed nothing wrong with the way it held or moved its wings, so unless it has something like a coracoid(sp?) fracture, it appeared able to fly. Plumage seemed intact, save a bit of downy molt around the under-tail. It was decided this bird might be better off given time for the natural, stress-free recovery of a sunny nap, before any trip to the Wildlife Rehab Center. I hope it was the right call. I wondered if this one might have had a window collision. There were full glass doors opening onto that deck, but they were still screened. Since the third floor was clearly living-space, perhaps lighting attracts insects--and hungry Nighthawks, especially later, tired young migrants. In any case, if it's still there this morning, the concerned homeowners now know it should be taken to the Wildlife Rehab Center. Linda Whyte ---- Join or Leave mou-net: http://lists.umn.edu/cgi-bin/wa?SUBED1=mou-net Archives: http://lists.umn.edu/archives/mou-net.html
