Injured and orphaned birds: Contact Carolina Wildlife Care, 5551 Bush River Road, Columbia, SC, 29212, 803-772-3994, or call the SCDNR Wildlife Diversity Section at 734-3894 for a listing of rehabilitators.

Raptors: If you find an injured raptor, such as a hawk, eagle or owl, call the SCDNR Wildlife Diversity Section at 734-3894 for a listing of rehabilitators.

Birds that crash into windows may be stunned and not dead. Put the bird in a cardboard box in a quiet, warm place (in your house or apartment) for about 15 minutes. After that, carefully peek in the box and if the bird has recovered, take the box outside (if it is daylight) and let the bird go. If it is dark out, keep the bird in the box overnight and release in the morning. (Please note: it is illegal to try to keep a native songbird as a pet, and most die in captivity anyway.)

Birds crash into windows because they see the reflection of the sky and trees, etc. and do not realize that the window is a solid surface.To help keep birds from crashing into your windows in the first place, close your curtains, or buy raptor silhouettes from Wild Birds Unlimited or another bird store and stick them on your windows. The silhouettes do not use glue, and are generally easy to remove and reuse if the problem recurs.

If you have an injured bird, someone from Carolina Wildlife Care (772-3994) may be willing to care for the bird. If not, you may locate a veterinarian or rehabilitator closest to you by calling the Wildlife Diversity Section in the Columbia SCDNR office at (803) 734-3894.

If your injured bird is a raptor (Hawk, Owl or Eagle), please call the S.C. Department of Natural Resources, Wildlife Diversity Section at 734-3894 for a listing of rehabilitators. To avoid injuries to yourself and the bird, you should not attempt to handle large raptors. However, if possible, keep the raptor's surroundings calm until assistance arrives.