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What to do if your bird is lost outside?

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What to do if your bird is lost outside?

Postby Mona » Sun Oct 04, 2009 2:23 pm

If your bird escapes outside, DO NOT GIVE UP. You CAN get your bird back. Below is a link to Barbara Heidenreich's website with several great tips on how to recover your parrot. Tip number one is: DO NOT LOSE SIGHT OF YOUR BIRD. Even if you do lose sight, you can still recover your parrot. Barb's website even includes flyers with pictures of common species so that you can quickly print them and start circulating them in your neighborhood. Please click on the link below for some important tips and very helpful ideas.

http://goodbirdinc.com/help-escape.html

Barb also has a brand new DVD out on what to do if your parrot escapes. I have not had a chance to see it yet, but I do have it on order.
Last edited by Mona on Tue Nov 03, 2009 5:28 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Mona in Seattle
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Re: What to do if your bird is lost outside?

Postby birdguy888 » Thu Oct 08, 2009 12:35 am

One of the biggest issues of getting your lost bird back is time! Usually not because of weather or because you are loosing day light, but because of raptors (birds of prey). In most states there are no natural occuring hookbills so when one gets outside, it sticks out like a soar thumb to raptors and is quickly killed and eaten. This also happens on a regular basis when bird owners take their clipped birds outside for some fresh air, sunshine and maybe even a bath. Since they are so highly visible to raptors who can easily see that bird from over 1 mile away, they are frequently taken right off of the perch or even off of the owners hand or shoulder.

A few years ago a guy here in Utah was out on his 8th floor balcony with his african grey sitting on its perch. As soon as the stepped about 2 feet away from the perch, a peregrine falcon stooped in, grabbed the grey, immediatly broke the neck to kill it and flew to the building across the street and ate the grey in front of its owner!

Just this last spring one of my hand fed baby cockatiels, clipped nd just weaned, followed me out the door. AS SOON AS IT GOT OUT a Cooper's Hawk swooped down out of a tree and flew off with my screaming baby. I heard the screaming stop by the time the hawk was only 100 feet away as it had killed my bird. Please be catious when you open your door and especially when you purposly take your birds outside!
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Re: What to do if your bird is lost outside?

Postby Michael » Thu Oct 08, 2009 12:41 am

Wow, that is intense. I live in New York City, what do you think the threat of predatory birds in an urban environment is?
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Re: What to do if your bird is lost outside?

Postby greatgriffin » Thu Oct 08, 2009 3:21 am

I guess you are not planning to fly Kili on Broadway? I bet you would pick Central Park or another park. There are many birds of prey that actually nest and live in buildings in urban areas. So you absolutely cannot exclude the risk.

--- Tom ----
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Re: What to do if your bird is lost outside?

Postby Mona » Thu Oct 08, 2009 10:46 am

I do think that raptor risk can be different depending on what part of the country you live in.

Here, I think raccoons are a bigger predator risk. We do have red tail hawks and falcons, but I think there must be plenty of prey birds because I do know many people who free fly their birds and I actually do not know of any raptor attacks. I have heard many horror stories where free flighted outside birds have met their untimely demise but I can't remember any raptor stories in this area.

Michael, I have a friend who used to free fly his red fronted macaws in Central Park. There are Peregrine falcons in Central Park and if you google Pale Male you will find some incredible photography. His macaws did fine however; I just don't think I'd free fly a small parrot and I definitely would not free fly one outside that did not have predator savvy.

Thanks!

Mona
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Phinneous Fowl (aka Phinney) TAG
Babylon Sengal
Doug (spousal unit)
Jack and Bailey (Gremlins)
Kiri (CAG)
http://www.flyingparrotsinside.com

youtube: Avian Flyers
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Re: What to do if your bird is lost outside?

Postby shoi2ti3 » Thu Nov 12, 2009 12:48 am

Hi Michael,

I know that there are red tailed hawks in New York. I've seen on the Nature show red tailed hawks nesting around Central Park. This is especially dangerous because they will be looking for food to feed their young.

I live in California and I've seen Red tailed hawks, Cooper's Hawk, and Sharp Shinned Hawks around the area; some actually have landed in my backyard. However, when my birds are with me in the backyard, I stay very close to them and I always pay attention to the sounds the wild birds make. Often, they will be the first to alert the area of birds of prey.
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Re: What to do if your bird is lost outside?

Postby katie » Mon Jan 18, 2010 5:05 pm

Hawks r likely 2 go after ur birds a redtail is not likely 2 go after other birds unless they were falconry birds. The types of birds of prey u should watch 4 r coopers hawk their main source of food r birds they r a lil bit smaller than a cockatoo and a sharpshin hawks r a big danger 2 the birds but they realy r realy amasing animals
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Re: What to do if your bird is lost outside?

Postby kimbo » Sun Jan 24, 2010 5:56 pm

we dont have any big hawks over here in derby england but we do have peregrine falcons on our cathedral. they are protected in derby and bird watchers come from all over just to get a glimpse. the nearest predatory birds to us are magpies and crows who are both efficient killers when it comes to bright coloured birds so i wouldnt risk taking my :senegal: outside unless hes in a carrier.
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Re: What to do if your bird is lost outside?

Postby katie » Mon Jan 25, 2010 8:19 pm

yeah not saying any 1 should take there bird out carefree
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Re: What to do if your bird is lost outside?

Postby windharper » Thu Jan 28, 2010 12:43 am

Good information on what to do. Thanks, Mona!

As for preditor birds in the big city, don't feel secure ~just~ because you are in the city.

In Cleveland, OH on the Terminal Tower right on Public Square (the heart of Cleveland) there was a family a Peregrin Falcons for some 12 years. This has been followed by researchers from the very beginning. It was big news when the female got challenged by a younger female and lost (died from her injuries) and became the new mate for the male. This past year the male died from head injuries. Those who were monitoring the falcons maintained that the male sired 34 chicks total between the two females. Some of their young set up nests also in the heart of the city on other highrise buildings.

Want proof? Check this out:
http://blog.cleveland.com/metro/2009/11/post_132.html

I have personally seen a Bald Eagle on two different occasions and more Hawks (Red Tailed, Cooper's, and even Red Shouldered) more times than I can count in greater Akron (another big Ohio city).

Bottom line: Birds don't necessarily need trees to survive.

P.S. I was an outdoor birder before becoming an indoor one! :D
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