Many more birds are stolen every year than most people realize. Having your bird stolen can be heartbreaking.
Here are some suggestions on how you can avoid having your bird stolen:
- Don’t tell people how much your bird is worth.
- Transport them only when you have to, and then in a covered carrier.
- Don’t tell them what’s in the carrier – most times people will assume it’s a cat or another type of animal. (unless there are obvious bird noises coming from the carrier.
- Lock the cage – if it’s a big cage they won’t be able to sneak off with it as easily as the bird itself, and even if the cage is smaller, it will be harder to hide than just the bird.
- If you have a very valuable bird or a lot of birds, you might want to think about getting an alarm system.
- Set the bird up in an area of the house where people can’t see it if you’re not home and they are looking in your windows.
- Consider having the bird micro-chipped or having your vet insert an electronic transponder into the bird.
There are several things you can do ahead of time, in case your bird does get stolen:
- If your bird can talk, teach him his name, your name, and your address and phone number.
- Keep all records you have on the bird – such as vet records, receipts, band numbers, etc. The thief will probably know enough to cut the band off, but you never know.
- Videotape and/or photograph your bird, trying especially to capture any unique markings or coloring. Pay special attention to its feet and beak – they are unique to each bird; especially if it’s missing any toes or nails, or has scars.
- Videotape any tricks, talking, whistling, singing, or anything unique your bird does.
- Macaws have feather lines on their faces that make good identifying points – get a couple of good photos of them.
