How to Get a Bird Out of Your House

The birds are beautiful creatures that represent freedom and the limitless skies. However, the moment this accidentally flies into your house, chaos breaks out a turmoil of confusion and a surge of adrenaline on both the bird and the homeowner. In this detailed guide, we consider how to get a bird out of your house safely and what it means if a bird flies into your home, including steps one should consider if finding a bird in your living space.

 

The Meaning of a Bird Flying into Your House

Throughout the world, birds have become an integral part of human culture and myth, with many being symbolic of different life elements or spiritual points. A few say when a bird flies into your house, such an incident might mean something special. Many cultures see a bird that enters your home as a harbinger of something, a sign or omen. This depends on the culture and the type of bird entering your home.

According to various traditions, a bird that flies into one's house is considered an anxious omen; it presages good fortune, prosperity, or an imminent message. Others interpret it as a warning or portent of some life adjustment. For example, according to various folklore, death or bad luck will strike when a blackbird or crow enters the house, while the dove denotes peace and love.
Believe them or not, these superstitions, but the cool way to act when a bird enters your house is to remain calm and try to safely guide the bird out of your house.

 
What to Do When a Bird Comes into Your House

When you learn a bird has gotten into your home, the most important thing you must do is remain calm. Birds naturally have a wariness of humans, so sudden movements and noise from an agitated person could scare the birds further, and they may hurt themselves by flying frantically around the area. Here's what you should do:

• Stay Calm and Assess the Situation: The instant the bird enters your house, you have to be calm and analyze the situation. First, identify what kind of bird it is, and second, where exactly it may be in your house. Is it perched somewhere, or is it frantically flying around? Understanding its behavior will help you determine the best course of action.

• Lock other rooms: All other room doors should be closed to prevent the bird from flying into the innermost parts of your house. This way, it confines the bird into one area of your house, and, as such, it would be quite easy to direct it outwards.

• Turn off the lights: The reasons why birds are drawn to light cannot be explained, but this is one surefire way to entice them towards the exit. Make sure all lights within the room housing the bird are turned off and provide a window or door to the outside. Natural light will attract the bird towards the exit.

• Remove pets and children: If you have pets or young children, remove them from the area. Pets especially will try to chase and startle the bird in attempts to navigate it out of your home.

• Towel or blanket: Because the bird itself sits and does not move, you may want to try gently placing a towel or blanket over it. This will relax the bird, after which time you can carefully pick up the bird with it and carry it outside. Wear gloves for protection from scratches or even bites.

• If it flies around: use a broom or any other long object to steer the bird towards its exit. Be careful, however, not to hit the bird just guide the bird out the window or open the door.

• Be Patient: Indoor-trapped birds get disoriented and scared. Finding a way out may take some time for the bird; therefore, one needs to have lots of patience and should not make jerky movements.

 

Catch a Bird in Your House

Catching a bird in your house is a very sensitive task. You will have to catch it if the bird itself does not fly into an opened window or door for its safe release outside your home. Here's how to catch a bird in your house:

• Prepare a safe environment: Before attempting to catch the bird, prepare a safe environment. Close all the doors and windows except one exit that you should leave open. Remove any obstacles that could hurt the bird or interfere with the catching.

• Box or Container: Use a box or any container. Also, carefully approach the bird with the box in your hand, lowering it on top of the bird. Then slide cardboard or any sturdy material underneath to trap the bird inside. Afterward, take the box outside and let the bird go.

• Wear protective gear: birds are afraid of attack and may behave defensively. Use gloves and wear clothes that reach your sleeves to protect you from scratches or pecks during the process.

• Seek Professional Help: If you cannot catch the bird, or if the bird appears injured, seek professional assistance. Call a local wildlife rescue organization or animal control for help.

What's the significance of a bird flying into your house?

The bird in your house can mean different things depending on cultural beliefs and personal superstitions. On a more practical note, though, a bird flying into your house most often simply indicates the loss of direction or navigation of a disoriented bird. Birds are most likely to enter homes when windows, doors, and chimneys are open during migration seasons or when searching for food and shelter.

Sometimes, a bird would enter your house because it sees its reflection on either a window or mirror and believes this is open space. This may be because your windows seem to be highly reflective or the result of the presence of attractive houseplants or elements on the outside that may be perceived through those panes of glass.
 

How to Keep Birds Out of Your House

It would be very helpful to take precautionary measures to avoid the stress of getting a bird out of your house. The following are a few tips you can undertake to prevent birds from entering your home:

• Install Window Screens: Probably the most effective way to keep birds from flying into your home is to install window screens. Screens allow you to keep windows open for ventilation while keeping birds and other wildlife out.

• Decals or Stickers: Birds are flying into windows all the time because they are seeing reflections of the sky or trees from your glass. Putting decals or stickers on your windows will help them recognize the glass is something to be stopped by, not flown into.

• Close Doors and Windows: Whenever possible, keep the doors and windows shut, especially in spring or fall, when birds become very active. If a need arises to keep a door or window open, consider the use of a screen or barrier.

• Cover chimneys and vents: Besides openings for windows and doors, birds can also enter your home through chimneys or vents. Installing covers or screens over the places where such items may have been kept will prevent birds from accidentally entering your home.

• Eliminate Attractants: If you have bird feeders or birdbaths in your yard, consider relocating them farther from your residence. Sometimes birds are attracted to these food sources and accidentally fly into a home looking for sustenance or a drink of water.

 

What If a Bird Flies Into Your Home and Refuses to Leave?

Well, in some scenarios, the bird may just be too stubborn for your trying, let it leave your house. If that is the case, here is what you can do:

• Give the Bird Time: Sometimes, the birds take time to relax and find their way out. Give it time and let it wander around in the room. Chances are that very soon the open window or door will be discovered and will fly its way out.

• Dim the Room: Darkening the room might attract the bird towards the light of an opened window or door. This method generally works with smaller birds in particular, as they usually are attracted to light.

• Position a Fan: If the bird is perched near an opened window but won't fly out, then turn on a fan to create a gentle breeze. Moving air pushes the bird to fly from the house.

• Seek Professional Help: If the bird just won't leave or gets trapped in an area where you cannot safely reach it, then it would be better to seek professional help. A wildlife rescue organization could arrange for the safe removal of the bird, as could animal control.

 

Conclusion

It can come as quite a surprise when a bird accidentally takes flight into your house, and the situation can even be stressful at times. Conversely, if your actions and movements are guided in calmness, then you can safely and efficiently remove the bird from your house by following this guide. Keep in mind that patience and gentle action hold the key, as the bird, too, must be frightened and disoriented, just like you.

Whether you are superstitious and believe the bird flying into your house carries some meaning or not, the bottom line is to safely direct the bird outside. You can always try to minimize incidents like this from happening in the future by taking some prevention measures to let both you and the birds live peacefully.