Bird trapped inside our building

[Cheri Ellen]

Does anyone out there know how to get a bird who has flown into a building to see how to get back out? This bird has been in here for 15 hours and can't remember how he or she got in here.

The stairwell in our 2-story building has a sealed frosted window (about 3 square feet) at the top of a 3' sq. inlet in the ceiling. The inlet is about 2' deep. There is a narrow ledge all around the inlet about 9" down from the window. The bird has been trapped in this inlet for 15 hours, mostly sitting on the ledge with frequent attempts to find an outlet where the window is at the top. There's no way out up there. The only exit is out the door on the first floor, which is always open.

We have made a trail of birdseed on the steps leading down to 1st floor and put some bird seed on the rail also. We turned out the lights on the 2nd story ceiling so that the only light shining would be downstairs in front of the door. It isn't working.

What else can we try? All suggestions are welcome. It's 1:00 a.m. here (Los Angeles). Will be dark for about 4-5 more hours.

I hope there is some brilliant person out there who has some special technique for assiting this poor little guy. In my last "bird trapped inside" experience, the bird panicked and started flying wildly about, hitting the windows and walls and died within minutes. There HAS to be some way of helping birds get back out. I just haven't found it yet. I've been looking for it on the net for 2 hours with no luck so far. ALL SUGGESTIONS ARE WELCOME.

Cheri Ellen

[Pigeonpal2002]

Hi Cheri,

I'm not TOTALLY sure of what you are saying but can you scare the bird out somehow? EIther through gestures or sound? Can you get a ladder and get up to this alcove to get the bird out?

[pdpbison]

Hi Cheri,


If you are describeing a Skylight, and if your building has an amenible Janitor or Maintenance Man, most (or many) older Skylights can be easily lifted off their settings ( curbs) with the removal of a few simple fasteners, where, the Bird would be able to fly up and out as it wishes to try and do anyway...

Failing that, a ring-net on a pole, in dim light, might be a last resort to catch the Bird and release it out of doors.

Supermarkets here often have Sparrows trapped in them. I do not know their solution for this but have been meaning to ask...

I do know that it is easier to catch a Bird in almost darkness or dim light, than not...but one must be careful to do so in some way where it will not injure itself in struggleing or in one's restraint of it...

Good luck...

Phil

[feralpigeon]

[quote=Cheri Ellen]
The stairwell in our 2-story building has a sealed frosted window (about 3 square feet) at the top of a 3' sq. inlet in the ceiling.

Hi Cheri,

First, is there a rehabber or SPCA or the like in your area who would send someone to your building?
If not, could you duck-tape a net to the end of an extension pole, screw-on broom poles or stick that would give you the "reach" that you need? Pet stores sell bird specific nets, otherwise, you might try a sporting goods store. You didn't mention the heigth of the ceiling,
you may need to ducktape more than one pole together in absence of an extension pole. If you duck tape more than one pole together, keep a box cutter or sheetrock knife handy so you can detach them easily as you pull the bird down.

If you are able to get the bird in the net, use the walls to keep the bird inside the net and slowly bring the net down until you are able to cover the net and walk the bird outside.
Best I can think of, it's worked for me....

Good luck and keep us posted!

fp