It’s every bird owner’s nightmare - A bird escapes through a window accidentally left open when they are out of the cage and flies out of sight. The only hope is that someone finds their pet. But finders often don’t know what to do with a bird that has flown in. The vets from specialty chain Fressnapf explain.

If you have discovered a bird that is obviously not part of the local wild population, you first need plenty of patience to catch it. Some food (e.g. foxtail millet), maybe a bird cage and a dip net or cloth may help. It is also possible that the bird flew directly through an open window, which makes things a bit easier. You can then contact your local animal shelter or register your find with a lost and found service, the police or fire services. If you own or can borrow a bird cage, you can take the search for the owner into your own hands. Remember that according to the law, the lost animal still belongs to its owner for six months. Finders that would love to keep the animal straight away should find out first if it’s not sorely missed somewhere! And by the way, some cities have wild parrot colonies in their parks. These are not runaway pets!

Birds bought from a breeder or specialty retailer are usually tagged with a ring to comply with animal disease law and/or for species protection reasons. These leg rings are stamped with a seven-digit number containing information about the breeder, allowing the owner can be tracked down. For non-experts, it is often difficult to decipher this data. We recommend you find a vet specialising in birds. They can both de-code the number and give the bird a check-up. Get a receipt for any vet costs incurred so that the rightful owner can reimburse you later.

Breeders and specialty pet stores are required by law to record their customer’s addresses and with a bit of luck, this can help find the owner of a lost pet. In Germany, the Zentralverband Zoologischer Fachbetriebe Deutschlands e.V. (ZZF) offers assistance in the form of a tracing service and operates an archive of registered leg rings. If a bird flies in, you can contact them by post or e-mail with the following information: When and where did the bird fly in? What type of bird is it? What colour is it? As well as the ring number, you also have to provide your contact details. Further information is available under www.zzf.de/ringstelle/suchdienst/.

You can also register your pet with a service such as the UK National Missing Pets Register or your local vet. This makes it easier for the owner to find their pet and helps the finder in their search for the rightful owner. If you have found a bird, help is available under http://www.nationalpetregister.org/.

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Pictures from this article:

Leg rings – ID for birds Birds bought from a breeder or specialty pet retailer are usually tagged with a ring. The information on the ring helps to track down the owner of a lost pet. Photo: Maxi Zoo/Ulrike Schanz (Photos may only be reproduced with permission and in connection with editorial text. High-resolution photos can be requested from the Fressnapf press office.)