A Stunned Tui, a Quick Recovery, and Why Window Strikes Are So Common

A Short Stay for a Stunned Tūī 🐦

This gorgeous tūī came in for a short stay after flying into a window. Dazed, a little ruffled, but with that classic tūī attitude still very much intact. We kept them warm, dark, and quiet while they recovered — and happily, this one was ready to go again before long.

Window Strikes: More Common Than You'd Think

Window strikes are one of the most frequent reasons birds end up needing help in urban Wellington. Birds can't see glass the way we do — they see the reflection of sky and trees and fly straight into it. Tūī are especially vulnerable because they move fast and often fly at speed between nectar sources.

What To Do If a Bird Hits Your Window

If a bird hits your window, place it gently in a dark, ventilated box (a shoebox with holes works perfectly) and leave it somewhere quiet and warm. Don't offer food or water. Give it 30-60 minutes — many birds recover on their own with rest. If it hasn't improved after an hour, or if it seems injured, get in touch with us.

Preventing Window Strikes at Home

You can reduce strikes by applying window decals or tape in a grid pattern on the outside of your glass, using external screens, or moving bird feeders either very close to (within 30cm) or very far from (over 1m) your windows. Every small change helps keep our manu safe. 💕

For what to do after any window strike, see our bird rescue questions guide. And for a happy tūī ending on a bigger scale, read about the day we released five tūī.

Related reading: our guide to Wellington's most searched bird rescue questions and the day we released five tūī.