How to find a lost pet bird

How to find a pet bird that has flown away. These are steps to take before and after, if your bird flies off.
It's better to know before your bird suddenly decides to do a long distance flying lesson without permission.
Even if you have a bird that doesn't come out of it's cage it's still good to know how to find him if the unexpected happens and birdie makes it out the window.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Photos of your bird
• Copier
• paper
• colorful markers
• A favorite bird toy that makes noise.
• Friends to help
• Perserverence
• Hope

1. 
   These were too long even with a few missing feathers. Gabby flew off right after he got dried off from his bathy.

   Keep your birds wings clipped. www.flyinggems.com/BirdAdvice/wingtrim
   This is a good idea even if you don't regularly take your bird from it's cage. You never know when an accident may happen that could let your bird out and uncontrolled.
   Even if your bird just happens to get lose in your home it's still a good idea for clipped wings. This will prevent your bird from flying straight into a window or a wall and really getting hurt.

2. Keep some good pictures of your bird and if he/she has a leg band then keep the numbers in your records and handy.

3. When your bird first flies off try your darndest to see where she/he landed or may have landed. And go right away to find 'em. Try whistling or some sounds. Anything that your bird would respond to. If you can get your bird to make some noise it really does help.
   Look high and look low. Your bird is scared. And if it's in the grass it more than likely will stay put.

4. Get the as many people out to look for your bird. Call friends to come over and help. The more people you have looking the better the chance for someone to spot him.
   Kids are an especially good resource to get the word out that you are looking for your bird. Get your neighbors out in their yards looking too.

5. 
   Yep, theres what's left of a pencil...

   If you still cannot find your bird then put his cage out with the door open in the area that you think he may be. Early in the morning and before dusk are some good times that your bird will be looking for home.
   Make it well known that if someone does spot your bird that they will get you to retreive him. Excited kids and eager adults somehow seem to stick their fingers straight in the birds mouth. If your bird can break a pencil....it can break a finger

6. Take a special noisy toy that your bird likes with you when looking. Keep making noise and be sure to take time to listen for your bird to make a sound back. And call your bird by cozy happy names that you have for him. If you sound like you are having fun and there is no reason to be upset it will calm him down too.

7. Take a towel. Your bird might be hurt. Hopefully not. But if he is he will more than likely bite. The first instinct for a bird to do is bite when he is hurt or really stressed out.

8. Bring a favorite treat bag with some treats in it and shake it so he can hear the familiar sound and be wanting some goodies. This could be just the thing for him to come flying right over to you.

9. If it starts getting late and the sun starts to fade, don't give up. This could be a time when your bird realizes that it's just about beddy-bye time and he really wants to come home. So keep searching.

10. 
    Take a picture that shows the colors of your bird

    Post some 'Lost' flyers. Make them colorful and make many of them.
    The more colorful of a flyer the easier it will be to attract attention, especially from kids. Like I said, kids know just about anything that is going on in your neighborhood.
    Be sure that in the flyers that you include the word LOST at the top in big letters and then put what kind of bird you lost. The color and size and his name. Then the area that he was lost in, the date and put a big REWARD near the bottom. However much you can afford and feel comfy with. Don't put the amount of the reward because if you put down that you are offering $500 then sometimes that people that find your bird might be thinking that they can sell him/her for more than that amount. (sometimes people are that way) ;o(
    And be sure and put down your phone number and a back up number or two that they can call.
    Leave these all over the place. At the local store, on posts, any and all bulletin boards. Even ones across town. You never know if whoever may have picked up your bird was just passing through and scooped him up, and never to be back to your area for months.

11. Remind your neighbors that have cats that you would really appreciate keeping a closer eye on their kitty than usual untill you find your bird. You really can't expect them to keep their kitty destined to the house until you find birdy. But it does help with them keeping on their toes.

12. The next day if birdy still hasn't made it home you need to call the local animal shelter and any animal rescue agencys. And give them all the info. that you can. With so many people with their eye out for your bird it hopefully will only be a matter of time before you have him back on his comfy perch again.

Tips & Warnings

• The faster you find your the better. Get as many people as you can to help.
• Neighbors and especially kids have excellent networks to make it known around your neighborhood that you are looking for your feathered fella.
• Take a towel with you in case your bird is hurt or really freaked out.. birds will bite worse than the dickens when they are hurt or afraid. Bite first, sorry later.
• Make sure that it gets well known that no one should try to grab your bird by themselves. Your bird is already traumatized without some wild, excited, strange kid or adult trying to grab them out of where they are held up at.