The Towering of Wounded Birds

Abstract

LAST season I fired at a song thrush at a distance of fifty yards, but the bird continued its course, as if uninjured, for upwards of 200 yards, when it suddenly “towered” in the air, and as suddenly fell to the ground. Upon examination the bird was found to have been shot through the lungs alone, and had bled internally, the throat being full of clotted blood. The head was totally free from any injury. I have known similar instances occur in the pigeon, swallow, and starling. In all these cases the head remained uninjured, and death occurred through internal hæmorrhage. In the case of the starling one pellet entered the spine; the bird continued its course for a few yards, towered, and suddenly fell to the ground dead.