Parakeet showed up in my back yard! Need Advice

[Sueie]

I have a parakeet in my yard for about a week now because I feed all of the birds and the parakeet eats several times a day here. I put food out several times a day for all of the birds. He eat only seed. I tried to give him other fruits and veggies but he didn't touch them. I don't know what to do because we live in MA. Its summer now but soon it will be Fall and then freezing Winter. I googled and asked if parakeets can live outside and I came across this forum. I don't know where Budgie came from (that's what we call him), he just appeared one day. He is yellow and green with little, little short legs and walks around very fast eating, eating, and eating. All of the other birds, esp. the grackles seem to be afraid of him, I think because they see he is so different. We do occassionally get hawks of different varieties that come through too looking for lunch or breakfast and Budgie sticks out like a sore thumb and his colors are so bright I'm afraid he is going to get picked off first. I've tried to get him to go on my finger but he won't. He lets me walk right up to him and my husband too. My hand/finger I offered him was 3 inches from him tonight. He is now sitting out in tree above my shed where he's been for about 2 hrs. now. I don't know if I should try to catch him or just let him be. Maybe he likes being free?? But I also know if he doesn't leave this area by Fall he will die out there in the Winter. I wonder if he will know to fly south? I wonder where he came from? He must have escaped from someone's house, I just don't know. May I have all of your comments please? I've never owned a bird before but I have rescued a sulcata tortoise that was being mistreated so he's now mine, (not that I wanted one but the ppl who had him were literally killing him so my husband brought him home.) My husband knows I'm not really reptile person but he knows I'm such an animal lover, and he likes turtles and tortoises, I guess he banked on my letting the tortoise stay. I have 16 year old Beagle too, who is close to the end of life right now. BUT I've never owned a bird. Budgie is sure cute enough and seems very sweet. I think he may be getting used to us because we keep feeding him and talking to him whenever we can and offering him our hand, but he won't jump on to my finger. Any suggestions anyone, or any Parakeet owners? I wonder if any of you who have had their parakeets fly away could tell if he could be yours if you had a yellow and green one. His head has no pattern on it, its just plain yellow but he has little black and white patterned little things next to his mouth/nose. I look forward to reading your comments on this forum.
Thanks,
Sue

 

[KaylorFarms]

I have a parakeet in my yard for about a week now because I feed all of the birds and the parakeet eats several times a day here. I put food out several times a day for all of the birds. He eat only seed. I tried to give him other fruits and veggies but he didn't touch them. I don't know what to do because we live in MA. Its summer now but soon it will be Fall and then freezing Winter. I googled and asked if parakeets can live outside and I came across this forum. I don't know where Budgie came from (that's what we call him), he just appeared one day. He is yellow and green with little, little short legs and walks around very fast eating, eating, and eating. All of the other birds, esp. the grackles seem to be afraid of him, I think because they see he is so different. We do occassionally get hawks of different varieties that come through too looking for lunch or breakfast and Budgie sticks out like a sore thumb and his colors are so bright I'm afraid he is going to get picked off first. I've tried to get him to go on my finger but he won't. He lets me walk right up to him and my husband too. My hand/finger I offered him was 3 inches from him tonight. He is now sitting out in tree above my shed where he's been for about 2 hrs. now. I don't know if I should try to catch him or just let him be. Maybe he likes being free?? But I also know if he doesn't leave this area by Fall he will die out there in the Winter. I wonder if he will know to fly south? I wonder where he came from? He must have escaped from someone's house, I just don't know. May I have all of your comments please? I've never owned a bird before but I have rescued a sulcata tortoise that was being mistreated so he's now mine, (not that I wanted one but the ppl who had him were literally killing him so my husband brought him home.) My husband knows I'm not really reptile person but he knows I'm such an animal lover, and he likes turtles and tortoises, I guess he banked on my letting the tortoise stay. I have 16 year old Beagle too, who is close to the end of life right now. BUT I've never owned a bird. Budgie is sure cute enough and seems very sweet. I think he may be getting used to us because we keep feeding him and talking to him whenever we can and offering him our hand, but he won't jump on to my finger. Any suggestions anyone, or any Parakeet owners? I wonder if any of you who have had their parakeets fly away could tell if he could be yours if you had a yellow and green one. His head has no pattern on it, its just plain yellow but he has little black and white patterned little things next to his mouth/nose. I look forward to reading your comments on this forum.
Thanks,
Sue

I would try to catch him or ask people around if he belongs to them.

 

[Pork Pie]

Hello Sue and welcome to BYC. Sorry, I have no experience or knowledge that would help you out

 

[rosemarythyme]

There's a decent chance it's an escaped pet. You can probably put up flyers around the neighborhood to see if you can find the owner. If you're really willing to give it a home, you can try catching it (a net will do in a pinch, or you can continue trying to earn its trust until it will let you pick it up on your finger). Parakeets aren't hard to take care of and most pet stores should sell basic care books as as well as proper feed and a cage for it. I haven't had a parakeet in many years so I can't really offer specific advice.

The best parakeet my family had was found flying around a car dealership. Someone caught it on top of a used car and put it in a box and my dad said he'd take it home. Turns out the bird had been taught tricks and would play games like hide and seek with us. We had him for two years, moved cross country, and while settling into the new house a cat got into the garage and knocked over the cage. I can only hope our bird managed to escape and find himself a new home!

 

[drumstick diva]

You might want to check out the "caged birds "thread, for advice on socializing him. It's hard when you don't know what circumstances brought him into your lives.

 

[Vampstorso]

Howdy

There's a forum called avian Avenue that is all about companion parrots, they'll be able to help you a lot with this little one


There's also a website called parrot alert to list lost and found parrots

 

[Kiki]

Welcome aboard!
We are glad you joined our flock.
This video will help you learn how to navigate this site:

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[User395221]

Hi Sue, budgies (parakeets) are common here. In the wild, they live in a big flock. I think that one on his own would have a good chance of getting attacked/killed, especially if it's an escaped pet. I'd try to net him and put him in a cage.

The process of getting him to trust you enough to get on your finger will take quite a while and then you've got the problem of trying to grab him if he does (which will break the trust that's grown between you). I have budgies in an aviary and they won't (easily) let me grab them - and they can't fly away, never to be seen again, like this little fellow could.

There are some budgie owners in this thread, you might try to contact one of them for some further advice.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/bird-aviary-chat-thread.1141221/

 

[Sueie]

There's a decent chance it's an escaped pet. You can probably put up flyers around the neighborhood to see if you can find the owner. If you're really willing to give it a home, you can try catching it (a net will do in a pinch, or you can continue trying to earn its trust until it will let you pick it up on your finger). Parakeets aren't hard to take care of and most pet stores should sell basic care books as as well as proper feed and a cage for it. I haven't had a parakeet in many years so I can't really offer specific advice.

The best parakeet my family had was found flying around a car dealership. Someone caught it on top of a used car and put it in a box and my dad said he'd take it home. Turns out the bird had been taught tricks and would play games like hide and seek with us. We had him for two years, moved cross country, and while settling into the new house a cat got into the garage and knocked over the cage. I can only hope our bird managed to escape and find himself a new home!

 

[Sueie]

Yes, we think he must have escaped from its home. She is still out there (I say "she" because someone told us if it has those little things near its mouth its a female). I don't know how true that is. I read the the color of the cere (sp?) reveals the sex. Don't they all have those little what looks like little extra feather thingies next to the mouth, almost like little parts of a mustache? I wonder if it likes being free but I also wonder if its kind of scared out there with all of the other birds. I get a lot of grackles and starlings and bluejays in the yard at my feeders. This little parakeet has no fear though. I don't know if he just doesn't know better or its just brave. They actually seem to be more scared of her/him than she/he is of them. They all back away from the parakeet, I'm thinking because its so different due to its colors and they've never seen this before. It runs around on its little short legs and eats and eats and practically will run another bird over as if it is on an eating mission, lol. Very strange. I noticed that is now seems to talk to me and when the food runs out it will sit on a branch closer to my patio. I wonder if it knows that's where we come out of the house or its just a coincidence. I heard they are quite smart. Well, I don't know what we are going to do regarding trying to catch it or now. I have to put my 16 yr. old Beagle down today, as he is very sick w/congestive heart failure for about 4 yrs. now. He's a tough old trooper though but I don't want him to suffer with this any longer, as its getting really bad now. So a parakeet isn't really what I had in mind as my next pet, if I decide to even get anymore pets, that is. I also wonder if the parakeet will have the sense to fly south when the weather is starts to get cold. If it was a pet I don't know if it would, OR instinct could take over. Not sure. I do know that if it stays here it will die with the cold winters we have here. Any comments about that anyone??
Thanks,
Sue