Bird In My Chimney - Help

[Kassee]

A bird has got trapped in my chimney. We can hear it in there, then it goes quiet and then we can hear it fluttering around again. Lots of soot and muck have fallen down into the hearth - but no bird.

This did happen once before, but that time the bird came right down after a short time and then flew straight out the back door.

This time, it has already been 24 hours and I dont know what to do or who to call.

I realize I will have to block the chimney on the roof. But this is only the second time it has ever happened in thirty years.

Anyone any ideas ?

[Tridymite]

Light a fire!

[Tuvok]

Chimney sweep?

[gness]

When this happened to me the RSPCA and local bird rescue centre were worse than useless but you could look for a bird sanctuary in your area and ask for advice.
I filled the hearth with bird seed...put one of the cat baskets with the door open in front of the opening and covered it with a blanket....two days of keeping very quiet...it was the bedroom fireplace....and the bird ventured down for the seed and eventually into the cage...trapped it in the cage...into the garden....and out to freedom.
Flipping performance though.......x

[pixie373]

Well done, gness :-). Is horrible when you know they're trapped and can't get out x

[Canary42]

Call Alfred Hitchcock.

http://www.imdb.com/media/rm1952684032/tt0056869?ref_=tt_ov_i

[Kassee]

Thank you gness, I will try that. I thought there might be someone you could ring who would come out and rescue it (like a kitten stuck up a tree). You do hear of the most amazing rescues for some tiny animals. It is horrible, when you keep hearing it flutter, and it must be getting weaker. I have a horrible feeling it might be a pigeon and too big to come right down.

[B00]

oh the poor thing :-(

Hope there's a good ending here!

[wolf63]

I used to get this problem on a regular basis and the noise can be quite distressing - the bird will be totally confused and in a panic. It would drive the cats nuts too.

I once got a Handyman company to help because I couldn't reach the bird to grab it. Maybe worth a thought.

Don't expect any thanks from the bird - the last one I rescued was a blackbird and it was anything but friendly, they are deceptively strong animals.

[Wak]

If it's pitch black up there then the bird won't be able to see any way out, It may see daylight at the top opening of the chimney but, if it is a pigeon, it won't be able to spread it's wings enough to fly.
Try pointing a torch up the chimney and leave it there for a while and it may find it's way out at the bottom.

[mrs.chappie]

Awww, the poor thing. :o(

Do you have a chimney sweep in the area? Or your own chimney brushes? You could (very slowly and very gently) work the brush up the chimney, thereby pushing the little fella out.

I've never tried this, so don't know how successful it would be, but my thoughts are that if you leave the poor thing, he might die anyway. :o(

[mrs.chappie]

Oops, sorry, just noticed someone has already suggested that. I really should start to read all the answers properly. :o(

[Kassee]

Wak, I did what you suggested, darkened the room, turned telly etc off so it was quiet, left back door wide open and shone a torch up the chimney. A bit of a flutter, and a big fat pigeon landed in the hearth. It was well scared, and so was I. Instead of heading for the open back door, it started flying around everywhere banging into the wall, and I ran out.
My son came, and by then the pigeon was in a corner of the room, on the floor, not far from the chimney. We opened a large window just above where it was and my son got it up and out of the window with the plastic garden tool for clearing the leaves. I stayed well away. Thank goodness its gone - it was quite scary really. I think I was just as scared as the pigeon !!

[mrs.chappie]

Great news Kassee.

[wildwood]

Great outcome. I like people who go to the trouble of even rescuing pigeons or sparrows.

[mrs.chappie]

I once rescued a wood pigeon from my local takeaway. He kept waddling in through the open door.

I tried to shoo him out but he was having none of it. I was worried that he'd end up as food so I took him home with me and put him in one of my outside aviaries. As I picked him up he didn't struggle. Poor thing didn't seem quite right.

After a good rest and plenty of food, he perked up. He had no visible signs of injury, so I let him go.

My hubby did laugh when I went out for a takeaway and brought home a pigeon.

[atalanta]

If this ever happens again, make sure the room is dark except for one open window. The bird, if it does get down the chimney, will head straight for the sky and might not spread soot and **** all over the house.

[ELVIS68]

Mrs C, I've had quite a few starlings fly into my patio doors, unfortunately most of them died on impact, the last one was still alive but pretty lethargic to say the least.
I rang a local animal rescue centre and they said to put it in a large cardboard box and keep it in a dark quite room overnight, I did this and the next morning I was expecting to find a dead bird inside, but thankfully it was still alive and when I let it out after a few minutes it took off.

They said the concussion knocks them senseless and if left they will either die of shock at being left defenceless or being prey for cats

[mrs.chappie]

They do easily die of shock, Elvis. I've had birds die in my hands on many occasions.

I was once brought a budgie, she'd been attacked and was bleeding and in a bad way. I took her to the vet, expecting her to be PTS, but to my surprise he patched her up and told me to take her home and put her in a box, same as you, and let nature take its course.

To my amazement she was still alive the next morning, and went on to live to a ripe old age (for a budgie, anyway).

[Wak]

Pleased you got it sorted, Kassee. :-)