You should seek the advice of your veterinarian if your pet is ill as only he or she can correctly advise on the diagnosis and recommend the treatment that is most appropriate for your pet.

When handling birds it is important to avoid harming the bird, and it is also important to avoid injury to oneself ! 

Some people are naturally afraid of birds, and anyone with a  nervous disposition will find it difficult to restrain a bird properly without causing it harm. The attributes needed to successfully catch and restrain a bird are :

• Patience
• Confidence
• A relaxed attitude - do not panic if the bird starts flapping it's wings, pecking or flying
• A reasonable level of fitness - especially if trying to catch a bird that is free outdoors !

In addition, special handling equipment may be needed for some birds, especially large birds, birds of prey and carrion eaters:

• Protective gloves (reinforced) or gauntlets
• Glasses to protect the eyes
• Netting or a blanket to catch the bird
• A darkened room - most birds (except nocturnal species such as owls) will not attempt to fly in a blacked-out room
• A torch - to locate a bird in a dark room. Ideally a torch with a red or blue beam.

Protecting oneself

Birds have several anatomical weapons which can cause serious injury to humans :

• Beaks ...even small birds can give a painful bite, or stab and create wounds. Large parrots have beaks powerful enough to crack hard-shelled nuts, and they can easily remove an adult finger ! Bites from birds should always be treated seriously because serious zoonotic diseases such as Psittacosis can be transmitted to humans from birds. Glasses should be worn to protect eyes from pecking, and gloves or gauntlets should be worn to protect against bites to the arms, hands and fingers. Some authors advocate the use of a blanket over the hands.
• Talons - many birds have very sharp claws which can inflict serious injury. Protective gloves or gauntlets should be worn when handling birds of prey and large birds
• Wings - birds have very powerful pectoral muscles and a large bird, such as a Swan, can cause serious injury, especially to children and frail old people.

Tips on  picking a bird up :

• Pet birds should be trained to be handled, and this is best done when they are very young. Basically the routine is as follows 
  • Slowly introduce the hand near to the bird. Do not make any sudden movements and avoid sudden noises. Leave the hand close for 10-30 seconds. The objective is to get the bird to accept the hand and not be frightened by it.
  • Gradually increase the time that the hand is near, and eventually touching the bird
  • Use small food treats to reward the bird if it does not bite. This will eventually lead to the bird looking forward to the hand being near or touching it. Aversion therapy can be tried if the bird does attempt to bite eg a squirt of water from a water pistol. Ideally the "punishment" should be administered whilst the bird is in the act of trying to bite. If it is sprayed 2 minutes later it will not connect the cause with the action.
  • Encourage the bird to sit on the finger (small birds) or arm (large birds) and use rewards for positive behaviour, and aversion therapy for bad behaviour
  • Be patient - the whole process may take weeks - or even months
• Whenever possible try to confine the bird to a small room or aviary space for handling, as it is easier to catch if it escapes. Ideally a room should not have any windows. If it does, the windows should be shut, and if you are attempting to handle a large bird, the windows must be strong enough to withstand the force of the bird flying at them.
• If the room is darkened most birds will fall quiet and are relatively easy to pick up. In addition, a torch light will often transfix them to the spot, again making them easy to pick up.
• Immobilise the beak. In small birds such as Canaries, Finches, or Budgerigars this is done by grasping the body in the palm of the hand, and the head between two middle fingers so that the beak faces away from the palm of the hand. In larger birds, such as Parrots the bird should be given a smooth object  such as a wooden stick (or perch) to grasp in their beak . The object has to be wide enough to keep the beak open, and not be crushed. This is then held in position so that the beak can not be used as a weapon. Alternatively the thumb and forefinger can be used to press against the mandible.
• The bill of birds with a long beak can be tied together using a piece of string to prevent biting
• Very small birds can be held gently in cupped hands.
• A hood can be used to cover the eyes of some birds (eg falcons) - this calms them and makes them easier to handle
• When picking up a bird that has been caught with a net or blanket try to identify the head first and make sure you can not be bitten through the material ....the material  immobilises the bird, but is not protection against the beak or talons.!
• Holding the wings down closed against the body will reduce the likelihood of the bird escaping and turning on you. Wrapping larger birds in a blanket is a good way to keep the wings out of the way and immobilised.
• It is common practice to clip the flight feathers of some birds which are kept free roaming  in grounds, so that they can not fly away. This also facilitates capturing and handling the birds
• Holding the bird on its back may make it quieter

Preventing damage to the bird

There are several ways in which birds may be harmed by handling :

• Shock. Birds are very nervous and even gentle handling causes an increase in heart rate. Some small birds (eg Canaries) may even go into shock and die and so they should not be handled unless it is absolutely necessary.
• Physical injury
  • Birds may injury themselves by panicking and running or flying into objects - especially windows 
  • Trauma due the owner (or accomplices) treading on the bird, or falling on it
  • Rough or overzealous handling
• Asphyxiation - if they are squeezed too hard
• Removal of waterproofing from feathers (water fowl)

Some basic steps to take to avoid hurting the bird are :

• Be quiet - avoid sudden, loud noises
• Move slowly
• Remain calm - even if the bird panics
• Handle the bird firmly, but not too roughly. Be aware that it can be difficult to assess how much pressure you are putting on a bird when grasping it wearing armoured protective gloves
• Try to keep the birds wings closed down against the body so they do not flap and get pulled out at an awkward angle
• Be careful when handling the head and neck 
• Try not to stand or fall on the bird
• Birds will always fly towards a window if they can see through it ...and many cause serious injuries to themselves by doing this. Ideally confine the bird to a room without windows, or cover them over with curtains, shutters or a blanket
• Try to handle the bird in a darkened room - if the room has windows cut out the daylight with curtains, shutters, or a blanket.
• Never cover the birds nostrils (nares)
• Never strike a bird - even during an aggressive attack
• Avoid prolonged handling as this may damage feathers eg water birds.

For very large birds more than one person may be needed to handle it. For difficult birds it may be necessary to give a sedative to calm them down before handling. Your veterinarian will advise on the most appropriate form of sedation . 

Updated October 2013