In late Spring to early Summer, young Magpies are leaving the nest. For a few weeks their flight is often erratic, especially on windy days when they seem to have little or no control over the direction of their flight path.

It was on such a day that I hit a Magpie. It was flying at the side of the car when it soared skywards and just as suddenly plummeted, directly in front of me. There was no time to brake. Shaking, I pulled over to the side of the road. Judging by the number of feathers floating around, I was sure the collision had been fatal. At the point of impact my fears were confirmed.

On another occasion, in Winter, I was driving into town when a tiny bird flew straight across my path. I heard a small ping as it hit the grille on the front the car. With a heavy heart I stopped and walked back to where it was lying in the middle of the road. I didn’t want it to be flattened by other vehicles. I picked it up.

It was so tiny lying in my hand, its body limp and almost weightless. There was a speck of blood near its beak but no other apparent injury.

Just as I was about to set it down at the side of the road, one eye opened. Then it raised its head. In the next heartbeat its wings fluttered against my hand and it flew off, into the bush.

Sometimes birds are stunned after colliding with a car and just need to recover for a while before flying away.

If you do happen to hit a small bird and can’t find its body, check your car’s grille. A neighbour said that on a couple of occasions after he’d collided with birds, he found them trapped inside the grille, still alive.

At this time of year young Magpies often casually stroll across the road, seemingly unaware of vehicles bearing down on them. At the last minute they’ll take a few running steps to reach the roadside. It’s little wonder there are so many dead ones on and near roads.

Even the usually assured Kookaburra can be a little off kilter as a fledgling, sometimes careering wildly into the path of oncoming vehicles. 

It’s so relaxing living with birds; driving among them can be a little hair-raising, though.