The college's second-storey window still bears an impressive, football-sized impact smudge where a keruru, or native wood pigeon, dubbed "Paul" smashed into it about a month ago.
QRC librarian Sue Kelly, who was the first on the scene and picked up the injured bird, said she suspected it was "drunk on the berries from the nearby tree".
After the incident, the bird spent a month in rehabilitation at Queenstown's Kiwi Birdlife Park under the care of its namesake, head wildlife keeper Paul Kavanagh.
With a bruised breast area, the kereru was kept in restricted captivity to stop it flying and developing haematoma from use of the muscles, Mr Kavanagh said.
During the rehabilitation, Paul - the bird - gained its name through a case of mistaken identity with the head keeper, and the name stuck.
Despite the name, it was not known whether the bird was a male or female.
After releasing the bird in the Queenstown Gardens, Mr Kavanagh, accompanied by a small group of QRC well-wishers, said kereru such as Paul were a "vital" part of native ecology.
"They are really important, as since the moa went extinct, they are the only birds that can spread the seeds of about 70 different native species of trees."
Over the last two years, about 10 of the "nationally endangered" species had been rehabilitated by the Kiwi Birdlife Park, a task funded entirely by visitor donations.
He said the park was aiming to start a sponsorship programme immediately, with followers of the park on Facebook notified of birds coming in for rehab and given the opportunity to sponsor them in return for naming rights, and invitation to their release back into the wild.
RC lodge manager Mitzi Cole-Bailey, who took the injured Kereru to the park, said it was "brilliant" to see Paul up and flying again.
