• Welcome to Avian Avenue! To view our forum with less advertisments please register with us.
    Memberships are free and it will just take a moment. Click here

Lost Budgie. Any experiences with recovery?

HayleyB

Checking out the neighborhood
Joined
9/11/20
Messages
1
Real Name
Hayley
My blue English budgie flew away a three nights ago (I am in Portland, OR). We found him in a tree a block away after searching for about a half an hour. It was an extremely windy day and it was beginning to get dark. He hesitated to come down because of the conditions and when he eventually took off he went out of sight. We hoped he would roost for the night and we got up before dawn to call to him in the area, hoping to catch him as he was waking up. We never heard or saw him again. We've been looking every day since for most of the day. Calling out, playing bird sounds from a portable speaker as we walk the neighborhood. I put his cage in our window and am blasting budgie sounds from Youtube. We have put up hundreds of fliers, contacted vets and rescue organizations, listed on parrot911 and parrotalert, posted on sites like craigslist, reddit, and nextdoor.

The other day we had a tip from someone who may have saw him, and a woman on the same block said she thought she heard a strange bird around. Both tips were dubious, but significant in that they were from people living on the same street. So we have looked a lot around there but to no avail.

He's extremely friendly and likes everyone indiscriminately so I think he would eventually approach a person. My fear is that he injured himself in flight because of the bad visibility and wind and inexperience. We also have a lot of crows around here, which are awful and aggressive.

I'm extremely depressed. I don't know what else to do. We've contained our active search to a 1.5 mile radius, but are putting fliers out farther just in case.

What I'm wondering is, has anyone heard of or recovered a budgie after it was gone for several days. And also, if it was recovered, how far away was it found from home?

Any other advice helps. I think I've done just about everything I've read that I can do. I hate the waiting and not knowing if he's still out there. I don't know when I can give up the search.
 

macawpower58

Flying along the Avenue
Avenue Veteran
Celebirdy of the Month
Mayor of the Avenue
Avenue Spotlight Award
Avian Angel
Shutterbugs' Best
Joined
8/25/11
Messages
1,000,000
Location
Pennsylvania
Yes! There are many recovery stories.
Cover you neighborhood and surrounding area with flyers.
Go to vets, and pet stores and ask also to put up flyers.
Place his cage with food in your yard.
Do not give up.
Some suggest having budgie sounds on your phone that you can play while walking.

You may not find him, even if you look. :(
But you'll never find him if you don't.
Don't give up.

I'm imagining a budgie could fly several miles.
More likely he got tired and holed up in a tree, or under a bush.

Walk and call to him softly.
They have very good hearing, and he may answer, but most likely will be too scared.
Look for any colors that don't blend in.

If you have a local radio station, call and ask if they'd mention him.
 

Kassiani

Biking along the boulevard
Celebirdy of the Month
Mayor of the Avenue
Avenue Spotlight Award
Joined
9/12/20
Messages
6,832
Location
Southeastern U.S.
If he has a cage he calls home, could you leave that outside for him to see? Maybe put a few favorite treats in it?
 

Zara

♥❀Livin´ in Lovebird Land❀☼
Super Moderator
Avenue Veteran
Celebirdy of the Month
Mayor of the Avenue
Avenue Spotlight Award
Avenue Concierge
Joined
1/8/18
Messages
31,364
Location
Reino de España
Welcome to the Avenue Hayley,

I´m so sorry your bird has flown away. Here are some more tips;

Post in facebook groups,
Email all vets (even cats/dogs ones)
create flyers to post in local shops etc
Walk around the streets calling him
Go around the neighbourhood with pictures asking if anyone has seen him
Check neighbours gardens
Check on top of apartment building roofs
Look in the local park in the trees
Advise local animal services (the pound, rescue centres)
Drop a poster off at the police station, fire station

 
  • Like
Reactions: Ali

Dorcas George

Rollerblading along the road
Joined
9/3/19
Messages
1,721
Good advice already. I’m sure the smoke is making you concerned too. I’m so sorry this happened and saying a prayer for your little guy and you.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Ali

Sparkles99

Biking along the boulevard
Celebirdy of the Month
Mayor of the Avenue
Avenue Spotlight Award
Joined
8/9/20
Messages
6,315
Location
Ontario, Canada
I'd also call vet offices. People often bring found pets to them. Let them know yours is missing.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Ali

Ali

Biking along the boulevard
Avenue Spotlight Award
Joined
4/16/20
Messages
8,043
Location
Dorset, England, UK
Real Name
Alistair
I think everything has been covered, I would just like to say good luck on your search. People have found pets days, even weeks after they went missing. Don't give up.
 

AmberC

Walking the driveway
Joined
9/2/20
Messages
221
Location
Melbourne, Australia
Real Name
Amber
My budgies have flown away 6 times. 5 times I found them, one time I didn't. so there's only a 1 in 6 chance you wont find him!
 
Top