Trying to help an escapee budgie!

[Shadow190]

Originally Posted by birdgirl276

Hi,

About 6-8 weeks ago, a female blue budgie appeared in my backyard. She's been feeding daily, but I don't know if she has shelter, and if so what/where it is. I have a birdhouse hanging in the yard that she has been showing interest in for the last few days, but I don't know if she's been inside, or even if it's appropriate.
I want to help ensure that she can survive the winter (I'm in Niagara Canada), and am trying to find out the best way to make the house more attractive to her. Or, is there some way to catch her and bring her inside to help her survive?

Any help is appreciated!

She is blue and that's unatural/uncommon. Chances are, she will be eaten, not only because of her color, but also because of the fact she is a lone bird. Her best chance of survival is if she is captued by human and well-protected from preditors and the wildness out there.

Capture her and feed her some good meals (seeds).

[Tinker]

Even if you catch her and the other birds feeding too at the same time it won't matter, because you can let those other ones go later. The trick is making the cage look like a safe place to go into to get food, and the door rigged so it can snap shut when you're not very close. She looks like a lovely budgie. There was a budgie in the wild here in Invercargill, New Zealand, which is a fairly cold climate, and it survived for about 2 months, but died when it got nearer to winter. I tried to catch it using a net but wasn't quick enough. If there are wild Macaws in NZ then they'll be up in the North Island I expect. We have loads of native parrots though, and some of them are even fat and can't fly.

[Shadow190]

Originally Posted by Tinker

Even if you catch her and the other birds feeding too at the same time it won't matter, because you can let those other ones go later. The trick is making the cage look like a safe place to go into to get food, and the door rigged so it can snap shut when you're not very close. She looks like a lovely budgie. There was a budgie in the wild here in Invercargill, New Zealand, which is a fairly cold climate, and it survived for about 2 months, but died when it got nearer to winter. I tried to catch it using a net but wasn't quick enough. If there are wild Macaws in NZ then they'll be up in the North Island I expect. We have loads of native parrots though, and some of them are even fat and can't fly.

Pictures please.

[KGWatkins]

That gal is simply ADORABLE and you're right, I'm betting that she won't live through the winters in canada, considering it can get near zero some days even in new york and stuff, I know budgies are resilient but i'm certain even SHE couldn't pull that one off. I hope and pray you can catch her.

[foggydayz]

I live in hamilton, On. and a friend of the family told me about a budgie that he saw for years living outside (in hamilton) . He said it was always with sparrows.

[foggydayz]

Any updates? It is dropping way below freezing overnight now. Poor thing.

[birdgirl276]

She's still alive and well. The curator at the aviary in Niagara Falls told me that as long as she has food and basic shelter, she can survive the winter. It's now been close to three months that she's been living in the wild!

I've put up a cage with lots of food, right near the other feeder that she uses. Some other birds have been going in and out of it, and feeding, but she doesn't show any interest at all. She perched on it once, but that was as close as she came to going inside.

I can get so close to her (I touched her about a week ago). I'm thinking that a net may be the only way to go (though I was trying to avoid that as it seems somehow cruel).

I'm also not very experienced with birds, so I'm a little worried that once I get her, I won't know how to handle her (another reason I was trying to avoid using a net).

Thanks for everyone's input and feedback!

[SillyArwenBurd]

Originally Posted by birdgirl276

Hi,

About 6-8 weeks ago, a female blue budgie appeared in my backyard. She's been feeding daily, but I don't know if she has shelter, and if so what/where it is. I have a birdhouse hanging in the yard that she has been showing interest in for the last few days, but I don't know if she's been inside, or even if it's appropriate.
I want to help ensure that she can survive the winter (I'm in Niagara Canada), and am trying to find out the best way to make the house more attractive to her. Or, is there some way to catch her and bring her inside to help her survive?

Any help is appreciated!

I highly doubt she will survive the winter... you're close to the falls and it gets so bloody cold in that area... try to catch her or else our winter will kill her Remember where budgies come from Australia

[birde]

I agree. Catch her - better be safe than sorry.

[SillyArwenBurd]

Originally Posted by foggydayz

I live in hamilton, On. and a friend of the family told me about a budgie that he saw for years living outside (in hamilton) . He said it was always with sparrows.

It survived in Hamilton? good thing birds don't have much of a sense of smell lol kidding..sorta :D