When you have a bird caught in your garage, sometimes you panic more than the bird itself. This can lead to some drastic steps which can be harmful to you and for the bird. When you patiently handle the situation having a bird stuck in your garage doesn’t have to be as tricky as it sounds.
What not to do?
Trying to chase the bird or shouting at it can make things worse. When the bird panics, it starts flying erratically, and it fails to look for the exit door. When frightened, the bird only tries flying upward and keeps banging against the roof, not finding a route to escape. Instead of creating a scene of panic, you can either direct the bird towards the exit or trap it gently and release it outside.
Keep all possible exits open
One other way to let the bird fly outside is to leave all the doors and windows open. If the door had entered by mistake, it might be ready to fly out when it knows where the exit is. It might have come through one open window but then lost track of the entry point. This is when opening all doors and windows can be an easy way to send the bird out. Once you open, all the doors leave the garage and check after a while to see if the bird has flown. The other way to do this is to close all the doors and turning off the lights to let light enter only through one exit, preferably a large door. This bright exit would then attract the bird. If this doesn’t happen, you can try the next trick mentioned below.
Bright colors to grab the bird’s attention
Most birds can be drawn to bright colors. Choose some bright colored objects to create a trail for the bird to follow. Place them from the spot where the bird currently is up to the exit on different levels. Make sure that you only leave one door or window open to avoid distraction and to lead the bird outside. Leave the window or door bolted after the bird is outside. This trick can work well with a bird that is too frightened to notice the exits. If the bird has entered the garage in search of food or to find a nesting spot, this might be a more effective way to lure it outside.
Trapping the bird to release it outside
Sometimes the bird refuses to leave or doesn’t notice the exit points no matter what method you try. When this occurs, you could try and trap the bird and let it outside. As most of the birds are nocturnal in their habit, creating a pitch dark ambiance can be a useful trick. Shut all the doors and windows in the garage and turn off the lights. Seal any gaps where light can enter the garage to make the room dark. Leave it like that for a while and come back to check on the bird. The darkness might make the bird feel more relaxed, and it might find a spot to rest. When the bird has found its one spot to rest, you can trap the bird in a basket and take it outdoor. This step is easy, especially with the small birds. The only crucial point is to be able to find where the bird is resting after you leave the garage for a while.
Removing a nest
If a bird has already built its nest in the garage, be very cautious about the removal of the nest. If the eggs are still there, it would be a good idea to wait for the hatching and then remove the nest. If you do plan to remove the nest with the eggs still in it, move it someplace close so that the mother bird can locate the nest when it returns. Knowing the incubation period of various birds can help us understand when to remove the nest.
Putting Food Outside
Setting up a bird feeder may entice the bird out of the garage, especially if it is hungry. You can either make your own birdfeeder or purchase a simple one online, like these hummingbird feeders. What type you build, or buy, will really depend on the type of bird trapped in the garage.
Prevention is always a better option
While the above steps can help you remove the bird from the garage preventing such incidents would be the long term solution. Do not leave your garage door or window open when you are not around. If possible, install bird nets covering the garage window so that you can leave it open for light while also preventing birds from entering.
Most of these accidental entries of the bird happen during the nesting season. The bird could also be entering in search of food. Placing birdbaths in your back yard, a bird feeder, nesting box, and other such items outside the house can prevent the bird from entering the house for these necessities.
Even after all these steps from your end, if a bird does enter, stay calm and let the bird out without harming it. Remember that there are several state and federal laws for the protection of birds and so you should adopt some gentle measures that do not harm the bird.
