A green and yellow budgie appeared at my bird feeders yesterday. I am trying to figure out how I can catch it and bring it to a rescue. He let me approach 2 feet until he flew up and stayed on the power lines for the rest of the day until he saw some house finches and followed them. I didn't think I would see him again until he showed up this morning. He's not tame but he has a short flight distance so I think he's used to people. I'm not opposed to netting him but I'm not sure how well that would work out outside? Any advise would be welcome. The wild birds are not being very friendly to him no matter how much he tries to socialize. I've tried playing budgie recordings but that's not really working. I am extremely worried because there is a feral cat colony down the street and I don't want him to become a snack. Any advice would be welcome.
How to catch a found bird?
- Thread starter Jemdragon
- Start date
jenphilly
Well-known member
Do you have a small cage you can put outside near the feeders? If you could run a string holding the door open and then if he goes inside release it so it closes.
To get him into the small cage, load it with millet and extra seed along with fresh water. And I mean load it
If you are seeing him around a certain time each day, put the cage out 15 or 30 minutes before you expect company.
If others suggest placing your own bird out in a cage near to attract him, please do not do that. Not knowing how long he's been out or what he's been exposed to, there is a greater chance of him carrying something that could be transferred over. I am a paranoid person about avian diseases, but just be careful!!
Good luck!
To get him into the small cage, load it with millet and extra seed along with fresh water. And I mean load it
If you are seeing him around a certain time each day, put the cage out 15 or 30 minutes before you expect company. If others suggest placing your own bird out in a cage near to attract him, please do not do that. Not knowing how long he's been out or what he's been exposed to, there is a greater chance of him carrying something that could be transferred over. I am a paranoid person about avian diseases, but just be careful!!
Good luck!
Kiwibird
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- Jul 12, 2012
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First, thanks for trying to help get this baby home. Someone may be missing their feathered baby dearly. Just want to add you may want to check craigslist, parrot911 etc... to see if someone is looking for a bird matching the description so you can contact them. The owner the bird knows and trusts may have a better chance of catching it and also can bring over the birds cage, favorite toys, favorite treats etc.. to set up in your backyard to try to lure it back to what it knows. Good luck!
zelliegirl
New member
- Jan 3, 2015
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This might work: If you have a garage, leave door open all day and into the evening/dark. Put food and water on top of and in cage near garage until you see any birds on it, then move into garage and keep near to door but inside enough that bird has to enter garage. Leave the garage light on after dark and the bird might be attracted to the light. Check garage frequently and if you see bird in cage, easy, close cage door. If you see bird on cage or in garage, close garage door. Best if electronic close garage door so you don't have to enter garage to scare bird, have someone outside to "block" door area when closing so bird doesn't fly out. If not electronic, go outside and close door from outside so not to scare bird out of garage but rather into garage. Reason to leave open at night with light on bc bird may be attracted to light and warmth of garage. If dark and bird in garage, shut out light bc bird will likely freeze and not fly in dark, then close garage door. If you don't have garage, try food and water on top of and in cage, and keep under outside light during the evening. Eventually, remove food and water from top and just keep in cage to get bird to enter cage. Again light may attract bird. good luck.
Last edited:
bigfellasdad
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- Sep 21, 2017
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personally id stand a few metres away with my arm out and a sprig of millet and just talk to him. If he's used to people, i bet he'd come to you when he's ready.
Tami2
Well-known member
Good Luck, I had a similar situation not that long ago and I couldn't him. 
http://www.parrotforums.com/budgies-parakeets/71926-oh-my-goodness-there-s-budgie-outside.html
http://www.parrotforums.com/budgies-parakeets/71926-oh-my-goodness-there-s-budgie-outside.html
Betrisher
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- Jun 3, 2013
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I just saw this post by chance while briefly checking in. I've caught lots of birds in my time, so I thought I'd share my best methods in the hope of helping anyone who's caught on the spot.
1. The old box-on-a-stick trick.
All you do is place very tempting food under a cardboard box which has been propped up on a stick. You connect a (long) piece of string to the stick and pull it when the bird is fully underneath the box. This trick might sound hokey, but I'm telling you, it really works if the bird is hungry enough.
2. Open window.
If the bird is brave enough to come close to an open window, place food just inside and have some way of quickly closing the window behind the bird so it's trapped inside your house. A holland blind works well. I screwed a cuphook into the wooden windowsill and ran a string from the blind cord through the cuphook and out to my hand. It was easy enough to lower the blind quickly and voilà: one peachface in my clutches!
3. Cage placed outdoors.
Lots of people use this method, but it can only be really successful if you have a way of closing the cage remotely once the client is inside. A good way of doing it is to place the cage so that the doorway is uppermost. Tie a string to the bottom of the (sliding?) door and position the string so it won't impede the client from entering. Once he's inside and gourmandising on your yummy food, pull the string and you've got your bird.
When setting out to catch an escaped bird, you have to think like - well - an escaped bird. They're usually starving, so food and water will be the best triggers. The problem is making sure they SEE the food and water you've so carefully put out. Sometimes, it's worth sprinkling some bread chunks around your trap to attract wild birds. This will signal to the bird you're catching that FOOD is around. Your hope is that he'll come down to the place where other birds are feeding and then spot your cunningly set up trap and enter it.
Another invaluable aid in catching escaped birds is a butterfly net. I'm not kidding! Those ridiculous things they sell in pet shops are far too inefficient and even dangerous to be catching escaped birds in. I happen to own a butterfly net and have caught several budgies, a quarrion/cockatiel and more than a few pigeons in it. Oh, and a peachfaced lovebird as well. It takes some practice to be able to wield the net effectively (at first it feels like you're attempting a wild forehand volley with a tennis racquet - not good!) Once you lose your natural inhibitions, though, it's SO easy to scoop up the bird and safely put him back in his cage.
Just FYI, my butterfly net was homemade by me. I used a cheap aluminium fishing net with a long handle. Removing the net it came with, I made a new net bag that was a couple of inches longer than the width of the opening (allows you to turn the net and trap the client inside without having to handle or disturb him unduly - it's quite awful enough to be trapped in a net as it is!). The hard part was that I had to stitch the net onto the frame by hand. You just turn the edge of the net over the aluminium and stitch it down with stitches as small as you can manage. My net lasted me nearly thirty years until it fell apart and I had to renew the bag. Oh - I used bridal netting for the bag. It's a bit stouter than your basic tulle and much softer on the birds.
Another tool I've tried, but with less success is a child's hula hoop with a netting bag sewn onto it. I used that to try and toss over a peachface that came into our yard one day, but I wasn't able to get close enough to toss it accurately. I've always felt the idea was good, but never had the chance to try it again and refine it. I only mention it here because it might help someone some day.
The best success I've ever had catching birds was with proper ornithological mist nets. They're so easy to set up and they cause the very least distress to the bird. Sadly, you have to be licensed to use them here in Australia and it's a pretty serious offence if you make your own and catch native birds with them. (NB. At the time I used mist nets, I *was* licensed and was working on a research project). I don't know whether they can be used freely in the US, but I mention them here because they work!
I hope this has been useful. If it helps just one person recapture an escaped bird, then I'm happy!
1. The old box-on-a-stick trick.
All you do is place very tempting food under a cardboard box which has been propped up on a stick. You connect a (long) piece of string to the stick and pull it when the bird is fully underneath the box. This trick might sound hokey, but I'm telling you, it really works if the bird is hungry enough.
2. Open window.
If the bird is brave enough to come close to an open window, place food just inside and have some way of quickly closing the window behind the bird so it's trapped inside your house. A holland blind works well. I screwed a cuphook into the wooden windowsill and ran a string from the blind cord through the cuphook and out to my hand. It was easy enough to lower the blind quickly and voilà: one peachface in my clutches!
3. Cage placed outdoors.
Lots of people use this method, but it can only be really successful if you have a way of closing the cage remotely once the client is inside. A good way of doing it is to place the cage so that the doorway is uppermost. Tie a string to the bottom of the (sliding?) door and position the string so it won't impede the client from entering. Once he's inside and gourmandising on your yummy food, pull the string and you've got your bird.
When setting out to catch an escaped bird, you have to think like - well - an escaped bird. They're usually starving, so food and water will be the best triggers. The problem is making sure they SEE the food and water you've so carefully put out. Sometimes, it's worth sprinkling some bread chunks around your trap to attract wild birds. This will signal to the bird you're catching that FOOD is around. Your hope is that he'll come down to the place where other birds are feeding and then spot your cunningly set up trap and enter it.
Another invaluable aid in catching escaped birds is a butterfly net. I'm not kidding! Those ridiculous things they sell in pet shops are far too inefficient and even dangerous to be catching escaped birds in. I happen to own a butterfly net and have caught several budgies, a quarrion/cockatiel and more than a few pigeons in it. Oh, and a peachfaced lovebird as well. It takes some practice to be able to wield the net effectively (at first it feels like you're attempting a wild forehand volley with a tennis racquet - not good!) Once you lose your natural inhibitions, though, it's SO easy to scoop up the bird and safely put him back in his cage.
Just FYI, my butterfly net was homemade by me. I used a cheap aluminium fishing net with a long handle. Removing the net it came with, I made a new net bag that was a couple of inches longer than the width of the opening (allows you to turn the net and trap the client inside without having to handle or disturb him unduly - it's quite awful enough to be trapped in a net as it is!). The hard part was that I had to stitch the net onto the frame by hand. You just turn the edge of the net over the aluminium and stitch it down with stitches as small as you can manage. My net lasted me nearly thirty years until it fell apart and I had to renew the bag. Oh - I used bridal netting for the bag. It's a bit stouter than your basic tulle and much softer on the birds.
Another tool I've tried, but with less success is a child's hula hoop with a netting bag sewn onto it. I used that to try and toss over a peachface that came into our yard one day, but I wasn't able to get close enough to toss it accurately. I've always felt the idea was good, but never had the chance to try it again and refine it. I only mention it here because it might help someone some day.
The best success I've ever had catching birds was with proper ornithological mist nets. They're so easy to set up and they cause the very least distress to the bird. Sadly, you have to be licensed to use them here in Australia and it's a pretty serious offence if you make your own and catch native birds with them. (NB. At the time I used mist nets, I *was* licensed and was working on a research project). I don't know whether they can be used freely in the US, but I mention them here because they work!
I hope this has been useful. If it helps just one person recapture an escaped bird, then I'm happy!
Birdman666
Well-known member
- Sep 18, 2013
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Personally, I'd sit out there when the bird is close by with millet...
Hold real still. Let the bird come to you. Gain the bird's trust first. Let the bird make the rounds and come back. Gradually move inside the door to get the millet.
Hold real still. Let the bird come to you. Gain the bird's trust first. Let the bird make the rounds and come back. Gradually move inside the door to get the millet.
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