How to Catch a Bird

Catch a Hummingbird

Catching birds can help you learn more about them. If you are careful not to damage the wing feathers, the bird should be fine when you release it. Wild birds do not do well in captivity, so it isn't a good idea to keep one for more than a few hours, or it may die. Once you learn a technique for catching birds, it becomes easy, just like when you learned to catch butterflies or fish. How do you catch a bird?

Things You'll Need

• Butterfly type net
• Sheet or towel (optional)
• Rubber or latex gloves (optional)
• Sunroom or sun porch (optional)
• Open Garage (optional)
• Open Barn (optional)

Instructions

1. Wash your hands and forearms thoroughly before looking for birds to catch. Cover any cuts or abrasions with band-aids, you may even want to wear rubber or latex gloves.

2. Prop the door to your sun porch or sunroom open, or open some of the windows including the screens. If you do not have a sunroom or sun porch, try leaving the garage door open, or the barn door. It is much easier to catch a bird in a confined area. Birds often think they can fly through windows and run into them. If you do not have any of these options, you may still be able to catch a young bird that is not flying well yet.

3. Approach the bird in the confined area with your butterfly-type net or minnow net. If you do not have a net, you can try using a lightweight cotton sheet or towel. You should avoid catching birds in temperatures above 77 degrees Fahrenheit. The heat causes too much stress on the shocked birds and can lead to heart failure.

4. Swipe your net over the bird. Be sure your net has a large enough circumference to catch the bird you are pursuing without causing harm.

5. Twist the net slightly to hold the bird in place and prevent it from flapping around and injuring itself. Wait a minute or so until the bird seems calmer.

6. 

   Reach into the net slowly and remove the bird keeping its wings down against it sides. Hold the bird with your hand over its back and wings and avoid the beak.

Tips & Warnings

• Practice good personal hygiene and avoid the feces of the birds you catch as it may carry a virus.

• Humans have been infected with H5N1 after substantial contact with bird blood, feces and other secretions.

Resources

• Read this Article in Spanish
• The new Australian parakeet handbook:
• Avian Flu