Blue Tit - upside down and out for the count!

[ninneve]

Had a *first* experience after a Blue Tit hit my kitchen window on Saturday and just wondered if it was as unusual as it looked!

After it hit the window, I watched it fly back (in a fashion) to the bushes just at the back on the back fence. I kept an eye on it for a few minutes to see if it was ok and to be ready to possibly retrieve it if it fell out the tree; it shook it's head a few times (I'm not surprised!) then went quite still...and then started to lean forward, and only coming to a stop when it was completely upside down! At this point I came out of the house to get a closer look and there it was out for the count, totally unresponsive, hung from the branch like a bat. At this point I called the kids because I couldn't believe what I was seeing! We stayed close ready to frighten off possible predators, and after about 4 or 5 minutes it came to, righted itself on the branch and sat there for another 20 minutes or so (completely oblivious to us only a couple of metres away, and everything around it) until it burst into life and flew off seemingly none the worse for wear.

Is hanging upside down a normal survival mechanism in these circumstances, or was this just a lucky occurrence for this particular Blue Tit?

[foxypal]

Poor little soul!

[bobbarber]

Originally Posted by ninneve

Is hanging upside down a normal survival mechanism in these circumstances, or was this just a lucky occurrence for this particular Blue Tit?

extract.

I don`t know if this helps to answer your question, but when a perching bird lands on a twig its feet are locked onto it by a tendon in the back of the leg. this is an automatic action. Maybe your bird due to its condition had not got a secure lock and when it became unconscious swung upside down. When it righted itself and recovered was able to release the tendon and fly off. I would say it`s not a normal survival mechanism, but one lucky bird ...Bob

Welcome to W.A.B.

[ninneve]

Originally Posted by foxypal

Poor little soul!

I know, bless! We were very concerned for it - hopefully it's feeling none the worse for the experience by now

[ninneve]

Originally Posted by bobbarber

extract.

I don`t know if this helps to answer your question, but when a perching bird lands on a twig its feet are locked onto it by a tendon in the back of the leg. this is an automatic action. Maybe your bird due to its condition had not got a secure lock and when it became unconscious swung upside down. When it righted itself and recovered was able to release the tendon and fly off. I would say it`s not a normal survival mechanism, but one lucky bird ...Bob

Welcome to W.A.B.

Hi Bob, thank you!

I did notice now you mention it, that when it was upside down on the branch, it appeared to be secured by it's front toes only which were hooked over the branch rather than curled tightly around along with the hind toe as one would normally see when they are the right way up, it was very odd! What a lucky bird indeed!

[Picidae]

Originally Posted by bobbarber

I would say it`s not a normal survival mechanism, but one lucky bird ...Bob

and the consequential rush of blood to the head probably didn't hurt it's recovery either!

[Tringa]

Great observation Ninn. I guess no one has seen this before.

Dave

[ninneve]

Originally Posted by Picidae

and the consequential rush of blood to the head probably didn't hurt it's recovery either!

That's a really going point!

[ninneve]

Originally Posted by Tringa

Great observation Ninn. I guess no one has seen this before.

Dave

Thanks Dave! It's definitely a moment me and the kids will remember for a long time!

[Red Squirrel]

A similar thing happened in our garden at the beginning of April.
This coal tit crashed into the conservatory window then flew into the honeysuckle to recover. It sat for a second or two then keeled over where it stayed for quite a while.
Eventually it totally recovered and flew off.