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Singapore welcomes thousands of migratory birds between September and March.

As more of these birds from the northern hemisphere make a pitstop here for the winter season, some have been confused by our urban landscape.

Recently, an Oriental dwarf kingfisher was left stunned after crashing into a HDB block in Bishan.

Took a "hard fall"

Facebook user Lim Robert shared photos of the migratory bird on ground at Blk 450 Sin Ming Avenue on the "Singapore Wildlife Sightings" group on Oct. 6.

Lim said the bird suffered a "hard fall" when it hit the block and fell to the ground.

He initially thought his neighbour had littered a banana peel. The bird apparently spread its wings at the last second but failed to break its fall.

The kingfisher, lying on its side with its eyes closed, was not dead as Lim could see that it still had a heartbeat.

Hoping that the bird would recover on its own, he kept an eye on it and said some passersby "almost stepped on it".

When he tried to move it, the bird came alive but its eyes were still closed.

Lim snapped some photos of the bird perched on the ground resting. The bird had some scuff marks on the tip of its beak.

Fortunately, the bird did not need to be rescued as it soon recovered and flew off.

Oriental dwarf kingfishers are uncommon migrants found across Northeast India, Southwest China and other parts of Southeast Asia.

According to local avian database Singapore Birds Project, this week (Oct. 8 to Oct. 14) is when the Oriental dwarf kingfisher is most commonly spotted.

Birds crashing into buildings

Reports of birds flying into windows and buildings are not uncommon.

A study by Nature Society (Singapore) and the National University of Singapore (NUS) recorded 237 migratory birds from 40 species crashing into buildings between 1998 and 2016.

More than half of the birds did not survive the crash.

Clear glass windows and skyscrapers can pose a huge threat to migratory birds because they are unable to discern glass structures.

Light pollution from urban buildings may also confuse birds that find their way around at night by starlight.

Other bird collisions have also been spotted around Singapore in recent weeks.

On the same day as Lim's encounter, another Oriental dwarf kingfisher crashed into a Tampines flat and had trouble flying.

Earlier this month, a Blue winged pitta, an uncommon migrant in Singapore, was found dead next to a building.

It likely collided into the building by accident.

The National Parks' Board has developed a set of guidelines for Singapore's buildings to be more bird-friendly, such as exterior design elements to enhance the visibility of glass surfaces to birds.

Decals, stickers, hanging artwork and blinds can also help enhance its appearance as solid structures for birds.

If you encounter an animal in distress, you can contact the Acres wildlife rescue hotline at 9783 7782 or NParks' 24-hour Animal Response Centre helpline at 1800 476 1600.

Top images by Lim Robert/FB.