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Help in getting your Bird recovered ...........

Billie Faye

Biking along the boulevard
Avenue Spotlight Award
Joined
10/16/09
Messages
7,076
Location
NC
Real Name
Billie Faye
This was sent to me by Ellen Kessler member of 911 Parrot Alert on FB....It has some excellent advice and needs to be read by all because we DON'T "think" when this happens!! We need to stay CALM so we can do the very best for our birds...just like "instint" takes over when they escape and flight is a fear factor that blocks other things for them....

Ellen Kessler Bird is flying away
Call to your bird loudly as he is flying—it may help him find his way back to you.

As your bird is flying, do not take your eyes off of him. Note the last place you saw him, the level of his flight, how tired he looked. H...e may have landed in that area. (Radio or phone contact for a group of people searching can be very helpful in this situation. Grab your cell phone!)

Searching for your bird
If you have a group of people, spread out and circle the area where you last saw him.

If you cannot locate him, call to him. He may call back. Say words or sounds he knows or mimics. Most parrots are located by their screams.

If there is another bird he likes, put that bird in a cage and bring it to the area where you last saw him. Walk away from the bird in the cage. It might encourage the bird in the cage to scream. This may inspire the lost bird to scream. Keep talking to a minimum so you can listen for the scream.

Look carefully in a limited area (within one mile) in the early stages of your search. Parrots usually do not go far unless blown by the wind, chased by a bird of prey, or extremely frightened.

Keep in mind your parrot may see you before you see him. When this happens, parrots are sometimes very quiet. This may be because the parrot is more comfortable now that you are present.

Despite some parrots’ bright colors, they can be very difficult to see in trees. Look for movement buried in the trees as opposed to your whole bird perched prominently on the tree.

Once you find you bird, relax (unless the bird is in immediate danger.) It is better to let the bird sit where he is (if he is inaccessible) while you work out a strategy. Do not frantically try to grab the bird, hose, or scare him down.

If the bird has just landed
He will probably not fly again (if at all) for awhile.

Bring the bird’s favorite person and/or favorite bird friend (in a cage) to the area where your bird is located.

Bring favorite food items, familiar food bowls, and the bird’s cage if possible.

Be careful not to ask your bird to fly from a great height or a steep angle. Try to position yourself (or bird buddy or bird cage) to allow short flights or short climbs to lower places.

Try to lure your bird to fly or climb to branches/objects that are similar to those upon which he is sitting if possible. A bird may be too frightened to climb onto a distinctly different perch. (For example, the bird might be afraid to climb off of a tree onto a fence.) If you have no other option, expect the process to be slower and be patient with your bird as he builds his confidence. He may also fly again if he touches the new perch and is frightened by it.

Do not raise unfamiliar objects up to your bird to have him step onto it. More than likely this will only scare your bird to fly farther away. If you have a familiar item, you may have a chance that the bird will step onto it. Keep in mind things like ladders, people climbing trees, cherry pickers etc. may also scare your bird. Go extremely slowly if you resort to using these items. Stop any action if your bird looks like he wants to fly away.

Try to call your bird down when his body language indicates he is ready to try to come down. Do not constantly call.

Try hiding from your bird on occasion. This will create a level of anxiety in your bird which may cause him to try to come to you once you reappear. Usually birds will scream and or start moving around a lot when they are ready to make an effort to return to you. If you notice this activity, come out from hiding.

If you hear your bird screaming while you are hiding, he may be ready to fly or is already in the air. Come out of hiding right away. Most parrots scream when they are flying in this type of situation.

Birds also often relieve themselves and also scream right before they fly. Be alert for this. You may need to see where your bird flies. Be ready to run if necessary.

Avoid having a crowd of people around the bird’s favorite person. A scared bird may not want to fly into a crowd of strangers. Give the bird’s favorite person lots of room.

The sun is setting and your bird is still out.
Parrots will usually fly again shortly before the sun starts to set. This is probably your last opportunity to get your bird back before he will begin to roost for the night. Take advantage of it. You can try to get the bird “pumped” up by yelling and creating a level of excitement. This may encourage one last flight.

As the sun starts to set, your bird will start to fluff his feathers and get ready to roost for the night. At this point it is best to just allow him to go to sleep. Keep an eye on him until the sun has set completely. Remember his exact location.

Before the sun rises the next day, return to that location. Your bird should still be there, unless he was frightened in the night (owls can cause this).

Usually by 8:30 or 9:00 a.m., your bird will be ready to fly again or make an attempt to get to you. Repeat the steps described in the section

Your bird has flown off and, after 24 hours of searching, he has not been spotted
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.
 

birdlvr466

Hit the Road
Joined
10/15/09
Messages
16,655
Real Name
Pat
BF this is a great wealth of information. I made this a sticky thread. Thank you!
 

Billie Faye

Biking along the boulevard
Avenue Spotlight Award
Joined
10/16/09
Messages
7,076
Location
NC
Real Name
Billie Faye
You are welcome and I thought so too...Anything that will help bring our babies home when they "go exploring" and loose their way back....
 
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