As our house is opened up for summer and the fresh air comes in, it seems that critters follow that fresh air right on in to our homes. This happened to Allison and her family when a bird got stuck in her chimney. Read about the adventure and the kind way they got the bird safely back outside and share your critter stories after the jump.
Allison chronicles the event:
Despite having two very expensive bachelors degrees to our name, DanO and I were at a loss as to how to solve this problem. Neither the Applied Health Science (DanO) nor the Elementary Education (me) departments had required a course in pest removal. (I want my money back.)
First thought was to reach up in there (with leather gloves on, of course). Except, where exactly is “there”? We were fresh out of flashlights, but you KNOW there’s an app for that, and shortly with the help of our cell phones it was clear that there would be no simple reaching of the bird. There’s a ledge up in there that he had perched on and although DanO has long arms, they don’t bend like that which means the bird was out of reach.
Read the rest of the story at O My Family.
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seriously could that photo be cuter?
I'm glad the bird was okay and I'm glad it wasn't a chimney swift - they actually live in chimneys (and are protected under the migratory bird act - it's a Federal crime to disturb the nesting birds or their nests). As a wildlife rehabilitator I would urge people to first call a professional (not a pest control person, but rather, the State Fish and Wildlife folks who can refer you to a rehabber). Birds have no diaphragm and thus no negative pressure for breathing. So if you squeeze their chests, they will suffocate and panic. It is very hard to pick them up properly. And please never feed a wild animal - I've seen more critters die this way, by well-meaning people.
@Medusa that's a good idea but make sure they don't have nesting birds in there first (and know that chimney swifts are losing their nesting habitat due to capping and new chimney designs).
My husband tells the story of how his family dealt with a pigeon in their chimney when he was a kid--his parents dug out a recording of wild animal sounds and the bird was out like a shot!
When I was a teen a swarm of bees moved in to our chimney and built a hive. My parents and I noticed this as we would find a random bee here and there around the house. We finally traced it to the chimney and since my dad is very allergic to bee stings, they had to go.
This story doesn't have a happy ending like the birds here. We built a fire and soon had a fireplace full of melted wax and burnt bees.
Young little robin! :D
You need an dog guard on yourchimney pipe fast.