Catching a Scared Bird (Wild)

I wasn't going to say anything, but it is honestly bothering me.

I was looking for a house plant (bird safe) for my apartment yesterday at a local Lowes when I heard an odd fluttering sound. Looking down, between the palettes they use to lift the plants for drainage is a small, probably young bird. My guess is about 10 weeks old or so. Still had that young chick super fluff thing going on. From the colors, it looks like a prothonotary warbler but as there's about 3-4 yellowish/grey birds here it's hard to tell which one.

This wouldn't have been a big deal if the bird wasn't obviously disabled. There seems to be no function in it's legs and it can't land on them. The toes are curled up and they're tucked into it's little fluffy body. I'm unsure if it's a defect or if it broke them in an accident. Despite this, it CAN fly, thought not very well and for short distances. I spent a good 1 1/2 hours trying to catch the little guy so I could take him to a avian vet or rehab center to look at him. PROOF it can evade if it feels threatened. It sure avoided me!

After that long I lost sight of him and I think he tuckered out in a corner somewhere, because I couldn't find him in the maze of cinderblocks and I had to go to class. I told the nice employee about it and she confirmed that he'd been there for a day or two, and they were trying to catch him and told her of a local avian vet. She seemed attentive and said she'd let the others in that department know.


My purpose of telling ya'll this is so I can get advice on how to catch an injured bird in an odd space.

I was using a series of boxes and trying to usher it into a box and then close it off when the bird got inside, trying to avoid using my hands for a number of reasons. It didn't seem thrilled with the idea of being handled afterall. However, the space I had from the ground was approximately wider than 6 feet and less than a foot off the ground- I couldn't get under it, move it, or block it off.

I'm about 99% sure this bird is disabled for life and will not be able to survive, but not being a vet, I'd let to get it to one so they can make that call. I'm not even sure it lived through the night, but the weather has been mild so I'd like to stop by today and see if it's still there, and try again.

In the off chance I do manage to catch the little Houdini - should I take him to the rehab center or the vet first? The vet is closer, but I have a feeling the rehab center would have a better idea what to do for a tiny, frightened wild bird.

or is it just better to let nature take it's course? It is a wild bird and like I said before, I'm pretty sure it'd die if it wasn't in the safety of the Lowes garden center.

I'm at a loss. I just want to do right by the little bird if I can. I hope ya'll don't think I'm some kind of heartless jerk for leaving them there. I had my law classes and I've already been late/missed one too many - it was a test and I had to be there. I barely made it as it was.

Whether you're trying to catch a small bird at a Bird Fair (more rarely at a Bird Show) or the odd wild bird at the Big Box Store. The tools of choice is a spray bottle of water and a mid-size fish net (found at your Big Box Pet Store). Target a net that is gray or like non-color and not the bright colored ones.

The spray bottle is used to get them wet, which limits or eliminates flight and the net is used to scoop them up. Don't expect them to thank-you for saving them! That come later when you wake-up one day to find that you're that crazy bird person down the street with all those small wild birds in your home.


Rehap Center!

Rest easy, you've shown far more compassion and interest than 99% of your fellow humans. Sailboat's suggestion sounds great, don't know what else you can do other than locating a rehab center and seeking their advice.

Good luck that hapless little bird, please let us know when you have an update.

I'll go back by after work and if it's still there I'll give the center a call. I found their number for north alabama. Wild birds aren't listed on this one, but there's another 2 hours away that specializes in wild birds. It's near my mother in law's place, so I can always go down and visit. (Hilariously she's coming up this weekend with my brother in law, but since she's disabled and he's in college I'd rather not burden them with it.) So if they turn me and the bird down, I'll go to the other one. (Keeps me from shopping for my October parrot lol)

A couple people have told me to just let nature take it's course - that's all fine and dandy but why when we are the reason it's probably in this condition?

Thank you for the idea sailboat, frankly he couldn't be in a better garden center to be trapped in. I'm sure they'll have a butterfly net or something around. If nothing else, I'll buy a light canvas painting tarp and see if I can throw it on top of it (toweling method).

So I went back today and searched the entire garden center until they closed the gates on me and gave me funny looks. Couldn't find the baby bird, but did see a very amusing flock of sparrows chowing down on an a couple open bag of grass sand wild bird seed. Silly birds.

Bought a gardenia since I didn't finish my plant search yesterday, will be cultivating it for indoor life. Will be a pain the ass, but what nice thing isn't. I'll check again after I get my paycheck tomorrow, but if i dont' respond, you know I didn't find it.