Found a Bird in Surrey? Who to Call and How to Reunite It

You Found a Bird in Surrey — Now What?

Spotting a parrot, budgie, cockatiel, or other pet bird sitting on a fence, in a backyard tree, or wandering a Surrey sidewalk is a strange moment. Is it lost? Wild? Friendly? The good news is that most escaped pet birds stay close to where they got loose, and a calm, methodical response gives you a real shot at reuniting it with its owner — possibly the same day.

This guide walks through exactly what to do, in order, whether the bird is still nearby or you've already managed to catch it.

Step One: Confirm It's a Pet, Not Native Wildlife

Surrey has plenty of native birds — crows, robins, herons, owls, and songbirds — that are sometimes mistaken for something exotic when injured or fledgling. Before you treat this as a lost-pet situation, check the basics:

• - Colour and shape — bright green, blue, yellow, grey, or multicoloured plumage; a hooked beak; a stocky parrot-like body shape; or a long tail with unusual colouring almost always means a pet (budgie, cockatiel, conure, lovebird, African grey, macaw, or similar).
• - Behaviour — pet birds are often noticeably tame: they may step onto an offered hand or perch, respond to whistling or talking, or seem unafraid of people compared to wild birds.
• - Leg bands — many pet birds wear a small metal or plastic band around one leg, a strong sign it belongs to someone.

If the bird is clearly a native wild species and appears injured, sick, or orphaned, that's a different situation — see our wild bird guide instead, since wildlife rehabbers handle those cases differently than pet-bird reunification.

Step Two: Don't Chase It — Set Up a Lure Station Instead

Chasing a loose bird almost always backfires. Birds fly toward height and open space when startled, which can push a bird that was resting safely in your yard out over traffic or into a neighbour's dense tree cover where it's much harder to spot.

Instead:

1. Stay calm and quiet. Loud voices, running, and sudden movement will flush the bird higher or further away.