Emergency, Eastern Kingbird Stuck In Shed!

iluvbirds · Tue Aug 23, 2005 2:27 pm

I've been out in our shed for the past hour or so trying to run a Kingbird out of it. At first I thought it was just looking around, but then I noticed it running into the rafters and building trying to get out. I'm afraid it's going to hurt itself if it doesn't get out soon. The shed has big double sliding doors that stay open all the time, so I don't know why it can't find it's way out. I even shut them part of the way to leave enough light thinking maybe it would go for the light, but it just won't fly down low enough to go through. Any suggestions?

Louise Chambers · Tue Aug 23, 2005 2:31 pm

Can you get behind it and use a broom in the air to help usher it out? if there are lights in the shed turn them off, so only light is through doors to outside. cover windows if bird is trying to exit through them. Any chance this is an eastern phoebe, which would nest in an open shed, rather than a kingbird? they are pretty similar in appearance.

Maybe this is a recently fledged kingbird that's just having a bad day - perhaps leaving the shed and watching from the house for while, if possible - would help. maybe it will leave on its own once it's calmed down? let us know -

Louise

iluvbirds · Tue Aug 23, 2005 2:38 pm

Hi Louise! It's definitely and Eastern Kingbird, as I had an Eastern Phoebe nest in a wooden nest cup I put up on our porch, and know what they look like. When I first saw it in there banging around, I left and put water in my birdbaths, and watered the gourds hoping it would give it time to come out. I went back to check on it, and it's still there. I'm going to give it a few more minutes, then I'll take your suggestion with the broom. I did turn all the lights out when I shut the doors the first time, but there is some light showing through some cracks in top of the building that it tries to go through. I'll let you know what happens.

Laverne · Tue Aug 23, 2005 2:42 pm

Hi Pat.

Louise has probably given you the best advice. Turn off all electric lights, cover any windows and open the doors wide. Go inside and leave him alone for awhile. After 30 minutes, quietly go peek at him and see if he is still there.

Our barn has those roof vents and when open they allow light to come in. I've had a couple of mockingbirds end up inside the vents trying to get out through the screen. That is tough, as they will not come down into the darker barn and see the escape route through the doors. So, I have had to climb a ladder and chase them out with a broom. It scares them real bad and makes me feel like an ogre.

Let us know what happens...

Good luck to you and to the Kingbird.

iluvbirds · Tue Aug 23, 2005 2:49 pm

Thanks Laverne! This silly bird has a huge area it can go out of, but it just won't fly down far enough to go through. It keeps flying around the top part. Silly bird!...LOL...I'm going to go back out there again and see what's going on. I'll get back with you.

iluvbirds · Tue Aug 23, 2005 4:41 pm

Well, I tried the broom, but he just kept going from one end of the shed to the other. Linda, from the other forum, suggested standing up a thin multi-limbed branch from a tree lower than the top of the door, and maybe he could see a clear path to the outside, and go for it. That's what I'm doing right now. I'm not going to go back out there till hubby gets home from work which should be in an hour or so. I hope he gets out before nightfall. I'll keep ya posted. Thanks for the help!

Guest · Tue Aug 23, 2005 5:23 pm

Here is a picture of an Eastern Kingbird

iluvbirds · Tue Aug 23, 2005 7:38 pm

Well, we can't get it out..

...There was another Kingbird that showed up and was sitting on the pole lines, and kept calling. I don't know if it was trying to find this one or not. It left about 30 minutes ago. It's getting close to dark now, so I'm going to leave it alone until the morning. I hope when I get up, it has gotten itself out. I'll let everyone know.

Fred Kaluza~MI · Tue Aug 23, 2005 9:33 pm

I had the same with a Mourning Dove and a Golden Crowned Kinglet. After having them fly back & forth a few hundred times, they both got tired enough to barely be able to fly. Gradually they began to perch lower and lower on the rafters. Finally, they both fluttered down between the rafters, saw daylight through the open doors and found the energy to shoot out like bullets.

iluvbirds · Tue Aug 23, 2005 10:21 pm

Fred, I sure hope this one does that! It sure is nerve racking not being able to help it. I hope when I go out there in the morning it's gone...

iluvbirds · Wed Aug 24, 2005 3:18 pm

Well, she still won't come out....

....I've tried everything everyones suggested, but nothing is working. I called our vet to see if they had any suggestions, but they knew of nothing other than what I was already trying. I even played an Eastern Kingbird wav off my computer to try to lure her out. I put a small container of water on top of a ladder for her, but I don't think she's gone to it. There are plenty of insects in there so I hope she's getting something to eat. DH said he'll help me again when he gets home from work, but he just doesn't have patience for stuff like this. I'll let everyone know the outcome. Wish us luck!

Here's a picture of the little rascal.

Laverne · Wed Aug 24, 2005 4:02 pm

Hey Pat - got crickets?

Just kidding... She sure is a pretty bird.

She will eventually weaken and you will be able to capture her. Then, what are you going to do?

I guess if it were me, I would let the time of day help me determine my next move.

If it is close to dark, I would put her in a shoebox and let her sleep in a quiet closet for the night; then release her in the morning.

If it is the hot time of the day, I might try to feed her a couple of crickets and then release her. I don't know - this bird is obviously very much afraid of you. We would all feel real bad if she died from fright.

Maybe, as soon as you get your hands on her, you should just throw her outside...

What do y'all think?

John Miller · Wed Aug 24, 2005 4:51 pm

Hello

Your husband isn't going to like my suggestion...but is there some feasible way to open a hole in the roof? Maybe take a vent off?

John Miller,
St. Louis, Mo

iluvbirds · Thu Aug 25, 2005 7:15 am

I think, I hope, I have some good news. I just came back from the shed, and I couldn't find her. I will check back a little later after I have some coffee. I so hope she's not dead in there some where. This has had me so upset, that I couldn't even get on the computer last night. I went to town yesterday afternoon after I read a suggestion from another board to use a fishing dip net to capture her. I bought a regular dip net, then I bought one with a long telescoping pole. DH and I went out there and tried till close to dark to catch her. I tell ya this bird had not slowed down one bit. There are so many rafters and shop lights in there we couldn't get a good swat at her. I kept thinking she would wear down, and we would then be able to trap her. One thing I did do before we came in was turn our back porch light on. It faces directly across the opening of the shed. I'm HOPING she saw that light and flew out. I really appreciate everyones help with this. I so hope this never happens again. We have had birds go in the shed, but they have always found there way out. This bird looks to be a female, but I don't really know what a juvenile looks like. I'll do a search on them when I get a chance. I'm sure it's not an adult male. Again, thanks for all the help....