Last night at a friend's house we were watching ruby-throated hummers dart
back and forth from feeder to perches. Numerous aggressive pokes and chases
between hummers occurred as they attempted to feed!
Suddenly a bird flew right toward the window and hit it with a hard glancing
blow that made a thump on the glass. My friend got up and looked out the
window and announced it was a robin and it was dead. I waited a few minutes
to look feeling sad about the robin. When I got to the window and looked out
the bird was on its back and breathing heavily. I went out and picked up the
bird and turned it over in my hand. The robin's heart was beating so hard
the whole body was moving. I began to massage the head and back of the bird
gently. The heart rate slowly went down. After aboout a half hour the bird
was breathing quietly and the heart had calmed down to a gentle beat. As I
continued massaging I felt for broken bones and felt none. The robin had
lost feathers from the head, but its neck was not broken. I let the bird
drink from some rain water that had pooled up on top of a grill cover. After
that I could feel the legs begin moving. With eyes wide open the Robin stood
up in my had and flexed its wings. I held it for another minute or so and it
walked off my hand that I was resting on the grill cover. Eventually it took
off. Over the years I have had success using this method of reviving stunned
birds.
Dave
 

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