Do parrots ever come back if they fly away ( How to retrieve them )

parrot looking out of a window

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The worst thing that could happen to any parrot owner is having their pet flyway. Considering the nightmare, this can become, we must always make sure this doesn’t happen. But If you’re reading this I imagine, it happened to you. So, let me just say how sorry I am; I’ll do my best to assist you in the issue you’re having right now, lest start with your main question.

Do Parrots Ever Come Back If They Fly away? It all depends on your parrot’s emotional state; if it’s tame and happy at home, it will usually return, unless it has been lost and cannot find his way back home. If it’s not a tame parrot and is unhappy, it is unlikely to return.

Follow these steps in order to retrieve your lost parrot; I hope you’re available to find it.

How to retrieve a lost parrot?

The first minutes are the most important to be able to rescue your bird. (if you already lost your parrot, start in step 2)

1. If you saw your pet while it was leaving, call it (perhaps it will turn around and come back) and try to follow it with your eyes, so you could have an idea of the area it will go to.

2. Notify a family member and have them stay at home while you go outside to look for your pet. Make sure to take your phone, cage, the favorite bird food, a harness, or anything that will help you catch your pet. If your parrot has a partner, take them with you so they can call each other.

3. Start looking for it in the area where you last saw it. Call your parrot as you usually do at home. You can whistle, call by his name or say a word that you always use with them, even if it sounds silly.

4. Your parrot is going to be very scared! It’s possible that you may see each other, but it won’t dare fly towards you; fear can paralyze birds. So you must be prepared for this scenario.

5. If you locate the parrot, call home, or someone nearby that can come and help you, you may need a ladder to reach your parrot. Move very slowly when trying to reach the bird; it may freak out and fly away. You can also call the fire department to help you if it is in a very tall tree or area, but most likely, you will be the one to retrieve the parrot since you’re the one the bird is familiar with.

6. If you have already located the bird, but he’s not used to being handled, you can try to throw a blanket over it. Another option is to be very patient, and put the cage with the door open close to your parrot with its favorite food and wait for it to enter the cage by himself.

7. If you lost your parrot overnight, there is no point in looking in the dark; you can injure yourself. I recommend you wait for the morning and then start calling the bird; it might be close.

8. If you spend time looking for your parrot and can’t find it, you will need to design and print a search poster, offer a reward if you can; this will increase the possibility of it being returned to you.

The sign must have:

  • The words WANTED
  • The clearest photo you have of your pet
  • Further down, you can put the word $ reward $ with money signs to attract attention (if you are going to give a reward).
  • Below and in smaller print, you can put the name of your pet, if he needs medical treatment, the place, date and time he escaped, and very importantly, an email and a contact cell phone number. Do not put more personal data to avoid fraud or harassment.

9. Please don’t lose hope, keep looking for your pet, talk to your neighbors, show them the photos of your bird, and keep looking for it, keep looking for it and keep looking for it

parrot up a tree
Parrots often do come back if they fly off and can be called down from trees

How to get a parrot down from a tree?

Arrange for someone to be underneath the tree, where your parrot can see him.

It will help if the bird is familiar with this person. Have this individual converse with the parrot, or try to call him. 

Climb the tree to recover your pet. If you can’t climb the tree, send someone the parrot is familiar with. This is a resort as there is a bit of danger involved on your part.

Since sending an outsider can be alarming for the bird, and it could cause your pet to escape again.

You can use a ladder in order to make things easier for you. Try to avoid sudden movements.

Don’t forget to take a treat with you. This can motivate the parrot to come to you.

How to retrieve a parrot inside the house?

If this is your case, I want to congratulate you. This is the easiest scenario when a bird escapes.

The first thing you have to do is make sure to close all doors and windows; after try calling the bird out.

Use a blanket or net to catch the bird; just be careful not to hurt your pet.

parrot flying inside a house

How to prevent your parrot from escaping?

To avoid this situation, keep your bird in its cage (square, wide, and painted with baked paint or stainless steel). We love the Prevue parrot cage which is one of the Best Selling online parrot cages on Amazon. See the latest prices here! ↗️

When you’re not at home or cannot be on the lookout, keep windows closed, and be careful when you open the cage door.

Some people recommend clipping the parrot’s wing, but I don’t recommend it because if your pet falls, it can break his little bones.

But if you decide to clip the wings, make sure it’s done by a veterinarian who specializes in birds, so that it is done in such a way that your parrot can glide and avoid a hard fall.

Another option is to teach your bird to fly and come back to you when you call it. This in itself can be another article, but to give you an idea, you have to start creating a bond with your pet and always give him a treat when it does something you ask.

For example, when putting your hands inside the cage, try to see if it sits on your hands. If so, give him a treat.

Three Suitable Cages your Parrot or Bird will love!

Don’t give your parrot a reason to fly away

You have to try and make your parrot as comfortable as possible, start by providing a big cage, where he can move around easily.

Make sure the cage is close to the natural light.

A good environment is essential in preserving your pet’s emotional state and ensuring that it has a healthy life. You should never leave your bird in a dark and quiet room, which is not the place for him.

To avoid your parrot from flying away, you must provide everything it needs, and, above all, it must always have food and water within reach.

Birds are very particular about their water and food, and if they perceive something as bad, they will reject it. Therefore, every day you must change the water and make sure it is fresh. The same goes for the food; you must make sure he likes it and remove any residue.

Your pet must-have fun, so try to provide some toys. Choose toys of different shapes, colors, sizes, and textures, you can even choose some with sound, although not very loud.

All of this will serve to keep him entertained and prevent him from escaping.

How far can a parrot fly?

Usually, when a parrot fly off, they can fly within a 1-mile radius.

Parrots do have the capacity to fly hundreds of thousands of miles. Obviously, this will take years.

But when looking for a lost parrot, most likely, it’s nearby.

Can escape parrots survive in the wild?

It all depends where it got lost. Domesticated parrots have significant challenges in adjusting to the wild.

These are the main challenges:

  • They have to find their own food; it sounds easy, but remember they never learn how to do it because they always had someone that did these for them.
  • In the wild, they will have to deal with the weather. This could be hard for them, especially if they used to live under a roof.
  • Also, their survival depends a lot on whether they can find more birds of the same kind.

But, in many cases, with the proper conditions, many lost birds can thrive.

Conclusion: Do Parrots Ever Come Back If They Fly off?

You might be surprised how smart parrots are.

If they are familiar with the area where you live, they can surely return. Although it may influence how happy they were, before escaping. But to be safe, you must train them in case they ever getaway.

And be patient; in many cases, parrots have taken a few days to come back, so you must be on the lookout.

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