Here are some other ideas and contacts. If a person finds your bird, they may contact one of these organizations or see your poster or advertisement.
• Call animal control.
• Call local veterinarians.
• Call local zoos.
• Call local pet shops. Speak with the managers and let them know. Sometimes people find birds and try to sell them for quick cash.
• Call local police.
• Place a LOST ad in your area newspaper(s). If you offer a reward, it may increase the chances of your bird’s return. Post signs in local veterinarians’ offices, pet stores, and apartment bulletin boards (usually near the mailboxes areas). Have your kids post signs on the school’s bulletin board. Post signs anywhere you think they’ll be noticed. You may also wish to offer a reward as incentive for people to call.
• Check the classified section of the paper for “found” bird. Answer all ads. People are sometimes unaware of what they have found. A Congo African grey may be mistaken for the mythical red tailed pigeon by a helpful stranger who is unfamiliar with parrots.
• Contact your area animal rescue/shelters and have them put your bird on file. Make sure they have a way to contact you. Call them every few days to make sure you keep it fresh in their minds. Be sure to ask how long they keep a lost animal on file and be sure to call back and relist your bird if you’re still looking for him/her.
• Contact any local breeders and let them know about your lost bird. Again, sometimes people find birds and try to sell them for quick cash.
• Check with local golf courses and leave a flyer with them. Birds have been known to land on a golfer's head and, recently, a parakeet landed on a tennis player's head on the court.
On all posters/flyers, ads, etc., make sure you mention how your bird is family to you (and your children). Stress how much you care for your bird and it may help to persuade someone who may not initially intend on returning a found bird to contact you.
Tape a flyer on each side of your car’s back windows. Then, as you drive around looking for the bird and handing out flyers, people will see a rolling advertisement. People will notice and stop to ask. It is an especially good idea if you think your bird is still in the area.
Note: Don’t give out the bird’s band number. If your bird accidentally falls into the wrong hands this could lead to removal of the band.
Most of all, do not give up The key to getting a bird back is perseverance. Do not accept that you will not get the bird back once you have lost sight of him or her. As a professional bird trainer that free flies many types of birds on a regular basis, Parrots are often the easiest type of bird to locate and recover. Thankfully our parrots often seek out human or bird companionship if and when they have a big flight adventure.
Additional tips for finding your lost parrot AROUND HOME:
Search for your bird in your neighborhood. During the first month, birds tend to stay within a one-mile radius of home. Spread the word to neighbors and neighborhood children that your bird has escaped and let them know what your bird looks like.
If you have any outside pets your bird doesn’t like or fears, be sure to bring them inside so they won’t scare your bird away.
AROUND YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD:
Keep in touch with your neighbors. Make sure they know how to contact you if they even THINK they’ve heard or seen him/her. It’s quite possible that once your bird gets hungry, s/he will go to any human. Make sure you post signs (at least in a one-mile radius near where your bird escaped) describing your bird and giving contact information.
