Found a Pet Bird in Winnipeg? Who to Call and What to Do

You Found a Bird in Winnipeg — Here's What to Do First

A tame parrot, budgie, cockatiel, or lovebird sitting on a fence, a balcony railing, or low in a tree in Winnipeg almost never got there on purpose. Pet birds don't migrate and they don't survive Manitoba weather for long on their own, especially outside the warm summer months. If you've found one, you're likely its best chance at getting home — and the first hour matters more than anything else you'll do.

This guide walks through exactly who to contact locally, how to safely secure the bird, and how to use this site to reconnect it with its owner as fast as possible.

Step 1: Confirm It's a Pet Bird, Not Wildlife

Before you do anything else, make sure you're actually looking at an escaped pet. Manitoba has plenty of native birds that can look unusual up close — a young hawk, an owl, or an injured songbird can all seem "out of place" without being lost pets.

Signs it's a pet bird: - Bright, non-native colouring (green, yellow, blue, grey with a crest) — think budgie, cockatiel, conure, or African grey - Tame behaviour: it lets you get close, steps toward people, or lands on shoulders or hands - Clipped wing feathers, or flight that looks weak or uneven - A leg band (a small metal or plastic ring)

If the bird is a hawk, owl, duck, goose, songbird, or anything else native to Manitoba, this is not the right resource — visit found a wild bird instead for wildlife-specific guidance.

Step 2: Try to Safely Secure It

Pet birds are drawn to sound, especially the voices and calls of their own species, and they contact-call to locate their flock — including a flock of one very worried owner. If the bird is approachable:

• - Stay calm and move slowly. Sudden movement or chasing will likely push it higher into a tree or further away.
• - Offer a stable, elevated perch — a broom handle, a tall plant, or your arm held out steadily. Many tame birds will step up onto an offered perch out of habit.
• - Try quietly talking or whistling. A bird that's used to human company often responds to a calm voice before it responds to food.