TheTameParrot.com – Let's Try To Solve Your Parrot Problems

Many times we are called upon to take in unwanted birds, or to rescue abused birds. Most of the time our stories have had a happy ending. But some didn’t.

We are constantly advising people to keep the bird wings clipped. This is important for several reasons, including training and safety. We do not agree with other enthusiasts that claim the bird should be allowed to fly around the house for exercise. After all, they are meant to be free to fly, and should not be deprived of that.

But birds in the wild don’t have ceiling fans, windows, lamps, or hot stoves to worry about either. And the worst nightmare…What happens if a domesticated bird should manage to fly out an open window, or follow you out the door? The bird has depended on you all its life to care for it, and feed it. It does not know how to scavenge for food, and doesn’t know where to look for shelter.

EMERGENCY CALL

It was a cool Saturday morning when we got a call from an area animal rescue group. They needed our help in capturing a Blue/Gold Macaw that was reported in the tree of someone’s backyard.

When we arrived, we could see the bird about 40 feet up in a large tree. The yard was enclosed making it impossible to bring a bucket truck or ladder truck. Attempts to reach it with a pole failed because the bird would simple move away. The fire department wasn’t going to help, and the longest ladder I had couldn’t reach it.

We put some food down as a last ditch effort to get the bird to climb down. We also brought along one of our own Umbrella Cockatoo in the hopes the other bird would feel comfortable coming down and eating with it. Meanwhile we met with the animal rescue group, who filled us in on what was going on.

They had been trying for a few days to get the bird down. The neighborhood kids were quite unhelpful, doing more to scare the bird than anything else. Their idea of tossing bottles and horseshoes at it didn’t seem to work. While we were trying to get the bird to come down, they insisted in playing basketball in the driveway 30 feet away. They couldn’t have cared less.

When the owner of the property discovered what was happening, and found out the value of this bird, she announced that it was her bird and produced a 18 inch Cockatiel cage as proof it was hers. Unfortunately for her, no thought was put into how a large macaw could fit through the small door opening (DUH!) In truth, we never did find the owner.

Meanwhile, it began to rain lightly. The forecast was for light rain throughout the day and night, and temperatures were going to be dropping. We knew that if we didn’t rescue this bird, it would not survive the night. We continued to wait and watch, hoping that the bird might find another tree easier to gain access to. If he moved to another tree, we had access to a telephone utility truck that could reach the bird. But it couldn’t get into this backyard area. We had our avian veterinarian waiting at her office (remember, this was a weekend!) just in case the bird needed medical attention. We were also visited by the local TV news people covering the story.

After several hours, we left, leaving the rescue group to continue the wait. When it became too dark to see, they reluctantly called off their efforts until the next morning (the neighborhood was not one of the safest places to be in).

We received a call early the next morning to inform us the bird had died. They managed to climb the tree to recover the body. There was a legband on the bird, but we were unable to trace it. There was no chip on the bird, and no other way to identify it.

LESSONS LEARNED

Since that time, we have been practicing methods of retrieving birds in high places. I developed a telescoping pole with a fairly large net that can reach about 50 feet. But because it’s lightweight and made of fiberglass, it bounces around like a fishing pole and is difficult to control. But it’s certainly better than nothing.

But the best rescue method is prevention! This bird was in full flight and somehow got away from its owner. If it had the wings clipped it would still be safe at home with a loving family, and not fighting for it’s life in a strange backyard with kids tossing bottles at it.

We think about this story every time we clip our African Grey’s wings, and wish we could make them understand why we are depriving them of their flight.