A few weeks back, a junco hit our window, and was stunned. Our dog, one of the most empathetic creatures I've known, was watching the bird on the deck, deeply upset. It was a frigid day. My husband tried to spare me, but I would not listen.

I went outside with a small box, which I put a soft towel into. Wearing gloves (both for my protection from possible diseases and the bird's from my skin oils), I gently picked her (?) up. I named her Juniper, called her Juni, and did a quick assessment. Nothing seemed broken, but I wasn't sure she'd survive long enough to recover, so into the box she went. I put the lid on loosely, took her into our bedroom (the blackout shades make it nice and dark), and closed the door (much to the dog's dismay, both because he hates closed doors and because he wanted to stay near the bird). I checked in on her every thirty minutes or so, waiting for her to perk up. I was terrified she'd die.

She didn't. Eventually, she was alert enough that I took her back out to the deck, and carefully placed her tiny little body down. She flew away, a bit wobbly, and landed on the ground (juncos spend much of their time on the ground).

My husband checked on her a few times, and she kept moving around. Eventually, he saw her in a tree.

Anyway, this is my long story to let you know both that you are not alone in hating that thud, but also that even when they're stunned, they often survive just fine!