How To Catch a Bird Without Hurting It

If you are planning to catch a bird in your backyard, then firstly, you need to make sure if that is legal in your region or not. In India, many regions have restrictions on trapping and catching birds, so you need to check with local laws and have a better knowledge about local authorities if you are allowed to do that.

Wild birds exist everywhere. They are so attractive when they sing in the morning and eat the pests of your garden to keep them free from them. So, they are playing an important role in the ecosystem.

Here are some of the methods if you have many wild birds in your backyard and you want to trap them. Please read the article till the end to have a better understanding.

Make Sure the Help Is Needed

Firstly, please check if the bird is injured. Some people in a hurry do not notice if the assistance is required or not, and they move forward without any requirement. Please check if the bird that comes in your backyard is panicking, so please wait for some time to be normal. Now, check if the wings are broken or bent at an odd angle. Check if the bird is lying on the ground and unable to fly or move. Now, go towards it to offer your help.

Check For the Parents Around

The second step in this process is that you need to check if the parents of that bird are around. Sometimes the young birds in the craze of flying early fall on the ground. This happens when they do not have their wings grown up to the level they can help fly. So, in that case, they end up falling on the ground, and if the parents are watching them, then the baby will be fine. However, you need to keep an eye on whether that little bird will be attacked by any predator.

Put On Your Gloves Before Helping

Whenever you decide to help birds by touching them and picking them up, make sure you wear your thick gloves to avoid any direct skin contact with them. Birds are dirty, and they may carry many diseases that may pass on to humans and create problems. So, better to take precautions because it is wise to follow the fact: Precautions are better than cures.

Gently Pick Up the Bird from Behind

You can take a smooth fabric and approach the bird from behind so that they will not get scared by seeing you coming from the front. With that smooth cloth, wrap the bird gently in it and pick them up. When you pick them up, do not use a single hand for adult birds and two hands for small ones. As it will apply additional pressure. Make your thumbs apart in the way so that the bird can move its neck around. Take care that you will not apply pressure on their neck and feet as they can easily hurt. Curl your fingers around the body gently.

Put That Bird at Safe Place

Now, you need to put that bird at the safest place where no predator can come close to it, and no harm can be caused to the bird. For this, you can create a cardboard box and make sure to leave some holes for airflow. The darkness inside the box will help birds to calm down and relax. Till then, you can think of your next plan of action.

Calling The Bird Rehabilitator

If you are unsure about the things you need to do for the bird once you put them in that cardboard box, you need to wait for some time. Now, you can call the wildlife rehabilitator in your area for help. They have complete knowledge, and they can provide better medical attention to the injured bird.

If the bird is slightly injured, it will fly from the cardboard box, and you need not worry. However, if it is highly injured, then you may need to call wildlife rehabilitators again to give extra care and treatment to the bird so that it will be cured soon.

You can also build a trap system to catch the birds without any harm to them and then help them as well. You may need a pocket knife, 3-4 ropes set, basic knowledge of knots, a thin stick, a rock, and a drill. You may also need a little knowledge of carpentry as well.

The trap that you will make with these things is known as Ojibwa Bird Pole, and this has been in use for thousands of years. It is also very successful. Once this trap is structured, you can also take it from one place to another as it is easily portable.

So, here are the best techniques by which you can catch the birds and take care of them as well. Please make sure you do not catch birds just for fun!