We are in the midst of migratory bird season in New York, the time when the city’s birders are at their most eagle-eyed. To honor the occasion, we’ve asked some of our staffers to describe their favorite feathery moments. Erin Weaver, senior director of audience development and analytics, shares a found-bird story. Recently, I encountered a small, brightly colored songbird laying on the sidewalk, head slightly askew and panting, alive but not moving. It was facing the latest weed dispensary to open in my neighborhood, which features two stories of reflective black windows. The songbird was clearly stunned from a window collision, and I stared at it for a moment, thinking, Well, shit. Objectively, rescuing this injured bird was going to be annoying, but privately I was thrilled. I grew up on a farm, where we were taught to never interfere with nature; but in this instance, it was the weed store’s windows that had interfered with nature, and I was merely tasked with righting a wrong. A birding group chat quickly confirmed that I was looking at a male northern parula, a small North American migratory warbler on its way south. I gently nudged the bird inside a paper bag. Once home, I loaded him into one of my husband’s empty shoeboxes. (I learned later it was some kind of collector’s-edition box, which I had allowed the bird to shit in—twice.) I drove the bird to the Wild Bird Fund, where I surrendered him to the capable hands of New York City’s only wildlife rehabilitation center. If you are in the city and see a bird unresponsive and immobile on the sidewalk, it has likely collided with a window and needs your help to survive. Put it in a secure container or paper bag and get it to the Wild Bird Fund. As a bonus, you will feel a smug sense of righteousness for days to come, as I did. |
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