Two medium-sized Cedar Waxwings—with distinctive black masks and grey tails tipped in bright yellow—crashed into our floor-to-ceiling bay window overlooking the backyard terrace. Cecile, who was reading on the nearby sofa, was startled by the incident. I heard a loud thump from the den but couldn’t identify its source until Cecile exclaimed, “Oh no, a bird flew into the window, and it must be hurt; there’s blood on the glass.”
I opened the sliding door to check on the bird, initially believing there was only one. As I approached within two feet, it swiftly flew to a neighboring tree, bringing a sense of relief. After cleaning the window, something prompted me to revisit the terrace. There, under our rust-colored umbrella laid flat due to recent gusty winds, I discovered another bird and blood drop markings. Upon gently moving the umbrella, the bird toppled onto its side, raising its right wing before collapsing back down—it was clear this one was injured. The first bird, likely its mate, seemed to be standing guard nearby.
Concerned, Cecile and I agreed we should contact the Santa Clara Valley Bird Alliance (SCVBA). Despite it being a Sunday, they responded promptly. A rescuer arrived, assessed the situation, and determined the bird’s wing was damaged, rendering it unable to fly. Notably, the bird’s mate remained in the tree overlooking our terrace. The rescuer gently cradled the injured bird in a blanket, and drove it to an animal hospital. While we were grateful to aid the bird, it was bittersweet knowing the pair might never reunite during breading season, to focus on raising their young together.
