• If it is safe to do so, confine the bird to a cardboard box and call a wildlife rehabilitator for instructions
• Birds which may be dangerous to confine including: birds of prey, herons, cormorants, swans and large gulls - keep an eye on these birds and call a wildlife rehabilitator immediately for instructions

Confining the bird
The safest way to pick up an injured small migratory bird is the following:

Prepare a small cardboard box (one with lid) by placing a clean, ravel-free cloth or a piece of absorbent paper towel on the bottom Do not put food or water in the box Poke some small holes in the sides of the box Do a quick exam of the bird, ideally without touching it -see next section Using a clean hand or tea towel, place it over the bird including its head and eyes

Photo: Fatal Light Awareness Program (FLAP)

• Gently pick up the bird in the towel and quickly place it in a cardboard box. Do not put any food or water directly into the birds's mouth, do not administer any medical treatment
• Close the lid of the box and place the same towel over the closed lid
• If there is no lid on the box, place the towel completely over the open top and secure the edges with masking tape

Doing a quick examination
Even if the bird appears "tame", it is terrified but too injured to show fear - NEVER handle for more than a few seconds as the bird can die from fright. Look the bird over quickly but thoroughly - any of the following conditions mean that the bird should be brought to a wildlife rehabilitator immediately:

• Blood visible anywhere e.g. beak, eyes, matted feathers
• A significant amount of feathers missing
• Asymmetry anywhere e.g. one eye closed / one eye open, one wing drooping / one wing normal, one leg being held up / out, tail being held to one side
• One or both wings being held away from the body
• Inability to stand (on both legs)
• Beak looks crooked
• Swelling anywhere, e.g. around the eyes or head
• Bird appears inflated, like a little balloon
• Bird is off-balance e.g. falling to one side, stumbling when it tries to walk or hop
• Head tilt or head switch
• Gurgly breathing or open-mouthed gasping
• Bird has been in the area and unable to fly for more than one hour
• Bird known / suspected to have been in a cat's mouth or claws

• With the door to the closet or bathroom closed, peek into the box (be careful not to open the box too much) - if the bird appears 100% normal (e.g. nervous that you are looking at it, both eyes open, feathers not fluffed up, etc.), close the box back up and take it outside
• Once outside, open the lid of the box (have your towel ready to recapture the bird if necessary) - if the bird flies out of the box well, even if it then lands in a nearby tree, the bird should be fine. *If you have any concerns, please call a wildlife rehabilitator to confirm your course of action
• If the bird does not fly at all, or flies poorly and can easily be recaptured, put it back in the box and proceed with transporting the bird to a wildlife rehabilitator Note: if there is any chance that this bird is a baby and not an injured adult bird, call a wildlife rehabilitator for instructions before transporting the bird
• Signs that a bird may be a baby, not an injured adult:
  • Naked patches visible under the wings or on the bird's belly
  • The presence of downy feathers anywhere on the bird
  • The bird opens its mouth and gapes for food
  • The bird has a very small short tail relative to its body size