How to Catch a Bird in Your Backyard

Birds are flighty creatures, and will take off the second you approach them in the wild. Close encounters with free birds require you to stand still and make minimal movements, so as to not scare the bird away. If your goal is to eventually catch a bird in your backyard, you will have to set up the yard to make it appealing to birds. Getting birds to hang out in your backyard increases your chances of being able to catch one.

Things You'll Need

  • Birdhouse
  • Birdseed
  • Cardboard box
  • Wooden stick
  • Kite string
  • Heavy gloves
  • Light netting
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Instructions

    • 1

      Get the bird to come to you. Place birdseed on your windowsill and allow the birds in your backyard to feed at your window. Do this for many days in a row so that the birds develop a sense of safety, and realize that they can go right up to your window unharmed.

    • 2

      Open your window and place birdseed on the inside of your windowsill. See if any of the birds are daring enough to enter your home. If so, you can try to catch one by shutting the window before the bird has a chance to escape.

    • 3

      Hang a birdhouse from the trees in your backyard. Fill the birdhouse with birdseed to attract the birds. Sneak up on the birds when they are in the birdhouse so you can catch one.

    • 4

      Set a bird trap. Place a cardboard box in your backyard. Raise one side of the box up with a wooden stick. Tie kite string around one end of the wooden stick. Scatter birdseed underneath the open end of the box. When birds are under the box getting the birdseed, pull on the string to cause the wooden stick to fall and the box to collapse, thereby trapping the bird.

    • 5

      Wait for birds to approach your yard. When they are on the ground, toss light netting over them to capture them before they fly away.