Preventing escape and recovering escapees

SilverSage · Apr 22, 2014

For many of us, seeing our feathered friends fly away is our worst nightmare. We lecture those who live with us non-stop about not leaving doors open, etc, and our hearts twist when we hear of people losing their birds.

So what do you do to prevent loss? Do you have a recovery strategy?

My recovery tip that I swear by, especially for bonded pairs, is to record their voices. I have recovered 2 Cockatiels and a Quaker parrot this way (I am from a big family, as a kid my siblings and neighbors did not follow instructions very well). I just used an old tape recorder that I could run outside with and play full blast. Some birds are not good fliers and won't be able to come all the way home, but it helps to keep them in the area so they can be retrieved from trees.

MonicaMc · Apr 22, 2014

Here's some ideas I've come across about preventing escape.

Front door bird security! - a set on Flickr

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_d5Jx-dvux0]Bird-proofing the front door - YouTube[/ame]

Use this at your front/back door as a "safety catch" on your house
Suncatcher Bird Cages : Single Safety Fly Catch large aviary, outdoor aviary, outdoor bird cage

(this one may seem obvious to many, but more difficult for others, due to their windows)

Make sure that all windows have screens (fly screens) on them to prevent birds from flying through open windows. Alternatively, keep windows closed while birds are out.

And of course keeping doors locked while birds are out, knowing where the birds are at all times, putting birds away if doors are going to be opened, etc.

MikeyTN · Apr 23, 2014

I have moved this thread to Questions and Answers! As Lost and Found is made for a Lost or Found parrot, not for question and answers! Thanks!

strudel · Apr 23, 2014

My galah has a microchip and she is tame and can say "hello", so hopefully if she ever runs away from home, I have a chance of getting her back (but she's so lovable whoever found her might want to keep her).

goalerjones · Apr 23, 2014

I've used the recorded voice before and it does work.

BACON · Apr 23, 2014

In my new parrot mag this topic is kinda covered. One piece of advice given is get posters/placards up ASAP. It seems lost parrots capture the thoughts of people. Sooo the more eyes and ears tuned in to see the missing parrot can prove invaluable. He gave examples. Don't think I need to cover them here.

He also said about using noises from around the house that would be familiar?!!

Something else as a thought for those who do this... Me included. Birds put in front of windows so they know what their back yard looks like.

Apparently a bird needs to see a place(garden) from several different angles before it's able to build up a picture of the garden it's seeing?!! I dunno how true that is!!!

^^^ probably noooooo help at all haha

SilverSage · Apr 23, 2014

Everything helps some! Preventing is obviously the BEST option and everything else is a last resort, but I had never thought of making sure they can recognize their yard - good idea!

Another suggestion I have heard is to immediately move the cage outside and put food and water in it, and wire the door OPEN.

BACON · Apr 23, 2014

There is one problem with the whole bird in window thingy!! IF a bird escapes it's no usually at a lesuirly pace. It's usually a bolt out the door over the hedge/fence because their panicking.... Then they are just as lost as they would of been without seeing the yard??? Make sense.???

MonicaMc · Apr 23, 2014

BACON said:
Apparently a bird needs to see a place(garden) from several different angles before it's able to build up a picture of the garden it's seeing?!! I dunno how true that is!!!

After reading Animals in Translation, it makes sense to me! The book uses the mysteries of autism to decode animal behavior, and in one section it talks about how a boy may pass a red barn going in one direction, and when coming back in the other direction, to him it is an entirely new building!

Autistic people don't see the whole picture, they see bits and pieces of it, like a puzzle. Once they see every piece of the puzzle only then may they be able to put the puzzle together to see the whole object. (that is, as long as they don't get stuck on one part of the puzzle) Non-autistic people simply see the entire image without seeing all the little puzzle pieces.

If animal minds are like autistic minds, then it makes perfect sense to me!

strudel · Apr 24, 2014

It sounds horrible, but they might not really care if they don't see us again. They might just like it out there. Dogs like us, but I'm not that sure about birds. Even there, a dog will like somebody else if they are nice to it and have good food.... We'd like to think they love us the way we love them, but they do have their own "ways" which aren't the same as ours.

goalerjones · Apr 24, 2014

Problem is, often times they haven't got a clue what to do outside of thier cage and home environment and will starve.

SilverSage · Apr 24, 2014

Strudel is right, birds are not domesticated and given the choice may well choose options other than us. My main fear though would be that they would not survive in the new environment. For example I am from South Dakota, where freezing temperatures start in October and last through April, and that's during the NICE and predictable years! Temps drop down to -30, yes NEGATIVE THIRTY DEGREES, so 62 degrees below freezing, and so I am used to escape with no recovery being a death sentence.

strudel · Apr 24, 2014

goalerjones said:
and will starve.

I've heard they'll also get attacked as they don't have any clue how to detect danger and other skills that a wild bird will have.... Tame budgies won't know anything to assist their survival. Their best bet is to get found by a person....

As horrible as it is when a bird dies from an accident at home, at least you know what's become of them. When they are gone and not found you don't know whether they are alive or dead, living with somebody else or what. At least you know.

Preventing escape and recovering escapees

SilverSage

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MonicaMc

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MikeyTN

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strudel

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goalerjones

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BACON

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SilverSage

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BACON

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MonicaMc

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strudel

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goalerjones

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SilverSage

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Does a cage protect from cats?

green cheek and crimson bellied in same cage?

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