However, if they find themselves trapped in a maze of bright office towers, their chances of making it out alive are slim. Gulls, cats, raccoons and other predatory animals soon learn to patrol the area in search of an easy meal. Those birds that escape predation often panic as the city fills with people in the morning and then soon hit another window, with fatal results. If they manage to avoid any further window collisions, some may slowly starve to death. During migration seasons, FLAP volunteers patrol Toronto's downtown core in the early morning hours to rescue live birds and collect the dead ones.
Volunteers use nylon nets to help capture confused birds.
Paper bags provide an easy means of transport, and give each bird a warm, dark place in which to recuperate before being set free. Within a few hours, if there is no sign of injury, the bird will be released in a natural area well beyond the downtown core. An injured bird, especially one suffering from shock or head trauma, may be given an injection to reduce brain swelling and stabilize blood pressure. If the bird has completely recovered after a few hours, it is released. If the injury is severe, the bird is taken to a local wildlife rehabilitation center.