Finding a lost bird can be a confusing situation. Your first instinct may be to want to help the bird, but it’s important to consider the bird’s safety and try to find its owner before taking any action. Here are some quick tips on what to do if you find a lost bird:
Assess the bird’s condition
When you first encounter the lost bird, look it over for any signs of injury or illness. Is the bird able to stand and move around on its own? Does it have any visible wounds or broken bones? If the bird seems weak, lethargic or unable to fly, it likely needs medical attention right away.
If the bird is injured
Gently catch the bird with a towel and place it in a cardboard box or carrier. Make sure to provide a soft towel or t-shirt for the bird to sit on so it feels more secure. Keep the box somewhere warm, quiet and dark to minimize stress on the bird. Then, call local animal rescue groups and wildlife rehabilitation centers to find someone who can care for the injured bird.
If the bird seems healthy
If the bird appears uninjured and alert, it may just be lost. You’ll still need to contain it so it stays safe. You can catch the bird with a lightweight towel and place it in a small pet carrier or parrot cage. Provide a perch, food and water. Keep it in a quiet space away from other pets. Now it’s time to try to find the bird’s home.
Look for identification
The first thing you should do when you find a lost bird is check for any identification tags or bands on its leg. Pet birds are often tagged with the owner’s name and phone number. Even without a specific ID tag, a leg band indicates the bird has an owner who likely registered the band number. You can use the band number to track them down.
Check for a microchip
In addition to ID bands, many pet bird owners have their birds microchipped. Take the bird to any veterinary office, animal shelter or pet store that offers microchip scanning. They can scan the bird for a chip and hopefully trace the bird back to its owner if there is one.
Look for “found” posters
If the bird has no ID, the next step is to look for any “lost bird” posters in your area. Check telephone poles, pet stores, vet offices and other community bulletin boards. A concerned bird owner may have already posted ads looking for their missing pet. If you find a matching ad, you can call the owner right away.
Contact local veterinarians and shelters
If your initial search turns up nothing, your next step should be calling vets, animal shelters and wildlife rehab centers near where you found the bird. Explain that you found a lost bird and provide details on its breed and condition. Ask if they have any reports of missing birds matching the description.
You should also call the non-emergency number for your local animal control agency. Many pet owners will file a lost pet report, so animal control will have a record you can cross-check. They may even take the lost bird into their facility temporarily while trying to locate the owners.
Post found bird ads
If other avenues don’t lead you to the bird’s home, posting found bird ads is the next logical step. Place ads in local newspapers, online classifieds sites, community Facebook groups and any lost/found pet sites specific to your area. Include the date and location where you found the bird, its breed/description, as well as your contact info.
Here are some examples of places to post local found bird notices:
- Community Facebook groups
- Nextdoor website/app
- Craigslist
- Local subreddit forums
- Petco/PetSmart lost & found boards
- Vet offices/animal shelters
Hopefully the owner will come across your notice and contact you to be reunited with their bird!
Care for the bird temporarily
While trying to locate the owner, you’ll need to care for the lost bird in your home on a temporary basis. Here are some tips for properly caring for a stray bird:
Provide adequate housing
The bird will need a secure cage or carrier, preferably with a bird-safe perch. Maintain a comfortable temperature between 65-75°F. Keep small birds like finches or budgies in smaller cages. Larger parrots will require as big a cage as you can provide.
Offer proper nutrition
Supply food and clean water suited for the bird’s species. Most pet store bird foods will suffice temporarily. Offer treats like millet spray, fruits, veggies and nuts for foraging enrichment.
Give stress relievers
Being lost is stressful for birds. Provide toys, mirror bells, cuttlebone, mineral blocks and natural wood perches to help it feel more comfortable. Keep noise and other pets at a minimum.
Watch for signs of illness
Monitor the stray bird closely for any symptoms of sickness which could arise from stress. Look for:
- Loss of appetite
- Loss of balance
- Discharge from eyes/nose
- Diarrhea
- Labored breathing
- Feather plucking
Take the bird to a vet if you notice any of these worrying symptoms develop while in your care.
Transition the bird home
Once you finally locate the bird’s rightful owner, you’ll need to plan a safe transfer to return their beloved bird home. Here are some tips for making this transition seamless for you and comfortable for the bird:
Have the owner confirm proof of ownership
Ask the owner to provide some form of verification that the found bird actually belongs to them. This might be:
- Photos of them with the bird
- Vet records for the bird
- Purchase paperwork from a breeder/store
- Detailed physical description of unique markings
This helps protect against cases where someone maliciously tries to claim a bird that doesn’t belong to them.
Schedule a bird “hand off”
Arrange a neutral public place like a park or parking lot to meet and transfer the bird back to the owners. This avoids having to share personal contact/address information with strangers for privacy reasons.
Send supplies they’ll need
The owner may need any supplies you’ve been using to house and care for their bird, so they can make the transition home smooth. Offer to send things like:
- The bird’s cage/carrier
- Food and water bowls
- Preferred food types/brands
- Toys
- Perches
Providing these familiar items can help ease the bird’s stress.
Share helpful details
Give the owner any helpful details on the bird’s temperament, behavior and health while in your care. Mention:
- How much/what kinds of food it’s been eating
- Normal activity levels and sleep patterns
- Any noted behavioral issues
- Unusual droppings or symptoms
- Its response to you and other animals
These details help the owner make the bird’s transition back home smoother.
When to adopt the bird yourself
If you follow all protocols but are still unable to locate the original owner, you may need to consider adopting the bird yourself or finding it a new permanent home. This should generally only happen after:
- Checking for ID and microchips (with no luck tracing an owner)
- Contacting local vets, shelters and animal control (no lost bird reports match)
- Posting widely circulated found bird ads for several weeks
- No credible owner comes forward to claim the bird
At that point, try to find a good adopter through bird-focused rescue organizations. Or if you’ve bonded with the bird yourself, you may wish to provide its forever home.
Reuniting a lost bird is very rewarding!
While going through the steps to reunite a lost bird with its family can be time consuming, it’s also very rewarding! Pet birds form incredibly close bonds with their owners and desperately miss their familiar environment when lost. You can really change someone’s life by helping return their feathered friend home safely.
If you take proactive steps like checking for ID bands, posting found ads and contacting local resources, chances are high the bird and owner will be happily reunited. And if permanent adoption ends up needed, you’ll have the satisfaction of finding that lost bird its perfect new forever home.
Conclusion
Finding a lost bird can be confusing at first, but following the proper steps is vital. Assess the bird’s condition, look for any identification, contact local vets and shelters, and post found bird ads right away. Provide temporary housing meeting the bird’s needs while continuing to search for the owner. Eventually you should be able to reunite the bird and owner for a happy homecoming. With some time and diligent effort, you can give a lost bird the safe return home it deserves.
