Made a careless mistake yesterday, lost a poor chick :(

[Smurf]

I feel such an idiot and so guilty

Yesterday after cleaning out the cages i decided to renew a society nest hanging on the front of a cage containing parents and 3 fostered parrot finch fledglings about 5 weeks old, while removing the nest, 1 of the fledglings flew straight out, through the open birdroom door, into another room and out an open window. It landed on the garden shed so i grabbed the net and went straight out after it but wasn't quick enough and it flew onto the top window ledge of a neighbour, i then decided to chance placing dad and a sibling in a birdcage but after returning with cage he was gone, neighbours must have thought i was gone mad as i stood in garden for hours with 2 birds in a cage, a net in my hand and 'chirping' while trying to listen/see some sign of him.

I feel so bad now and sorry for the poor little bird as i know his chances of even surviving the night were very slim. I'm still looking around regularly for any sign but loosing hope at this stage

[lovezebs]

Smurf
Oh Padraic...
~So sorry.
~Had my very young parrot finch take off on me day before last, when I was on my Gouldian hunt. Luckily there were no open windows and he's a little chubby, so threw the net over him and had him back in no time.
~Once they get out doors though....
~Keep eyes open, maybe you'll get very lucky .

[KarenB]

Oh, no, I'm so sorry that happened! Ugh.

I lost a cockatiel I'd had for ten years the same way. I found her in a tree a block over, and a little kid climbed it to try and reach her, but once she flew off, I never saw her again. And it was just as we had gotten a cold snap the end of October.

*Hugs*

[Ginene]

I am so very sorry to hear about the loss of your little one...we have all made mistakes which have resulted in the loss of a bird, so try not to beat yourself up too much. Sending you hugs...

[Sam007]

I'm so sorry to hear that.

[Shelbi]

I lost one of my finches that way-- one of my hand-raised babies got out when I was removing a faux plant out of the cage to clean it, (he typically waited for me in front of the cage door when I would come into the room, and when I opened the door, he would fly to me and cling to my shirt and waited for me to take him off and hold him for a bit. He loved to play in my hair), but he flew right through my hair and out the window :'( I was devastated. I immediately went searching the neighborhood for him, and I found him in a neighbor's tree in their front yard, but I wasn't able to get close enough to him to catch him before he flew off and I never saw him again.

I am so sorry for your loss, Padraic

[MiaCarter]

Oh no!
That's awful.
Losing one of my animals is one of my biggest fears. Never happened with birds, but I did lose a cat once. A year and a half later, I still can't think about him without crying.

Don't beat yourself up too much; it was an accident.

I'd put some food out. Chances are, he'll stay close and he'll be looking for food sources.

If you can, I'd keep the parents and siblings near an open window so he can hear them. He'll be attracted to familiar sounds.

If you have an extra cage, I'd put it out there with the door open.

I've helped friends who've lost birds and one time, we captured the bird when he came back to the bird feeder. Another had a bird fly back into the cage!
I had a similar situation with a hamster when I was a kid. I assumed she was gone forever, but put the cage out per mom's instructions and sure enough, she came bacK!

[finchmix22]

I think we all have lost a finch outside at one point, so don't feel too bad. You were trying to clean and make their cage better. However, keep some seed and water near your door and walk around a different way than using the door, to sneak up on the finch and catch him. Some people thought they'd lost their finches outside, but they come back as the sound of the other finches is familiar. I don't think he went too far, so he'll come back looking for food. Good Luck!

[afinch]

Smurf, $hit happens. What can you do. Any news?

[Finnie]

I'm very sorry for your ordeal.

[TheWhiteFinchAviary]

So sorry this happened but as others have said don't feel bad at all!! It happens to all of us!

I've almost walked outside with hand tame finches on my shoulders many times.