Found a Bird in Winter? Emergency Cold-Weather Care in Canada

If you've found a pet bird outdoors during a Canadian winter, time is critical. Tropical companion birds — budgies, cockatiels, parrots — cannot survive long in the cold. A bird that lets you approach it outside is almost certainly an exhausted, hypothermic escaped pet that needs warmth immediately. Here's what to do.

Step 1: Warm It Up Safely

A cold bird is an emergency. Get it indoors and warm it gradually — never with direct high heat.

• - Place it in a small box or carrier in a warm, quiet room (around 26–30°C).
• - A heating pad set to low under one half of the carrier (so the bird can move off it) works well.
• - Cover the carrier partially to hold warmth and reduce stress.
• - Do not submerge a cold bird in warm water or use a hair dryer up close.

Step 2: Offer Warmth Before Food