Hummingbirds are a joy to watch in your backyard, whether at the feeder or in the garden with your flowers. However, just like other birds or small animals, they can become caught in your home space, such as in a garage or shed.
So, what to do if you find yourself with a helpless hummingbird stuck in your garage? A comprehensive list of tips follows.
Why Did the Hummingbird Enter the Garage?
First, figure out what may have enticed the bird to fly into your garage in the first place. Often, a hummingbird may have seen something that resembles a flower, whether in shape because it is one of the colours that the bird is attracted to. One of the colours that hummingbirds are highly attracted to is the colour red.
See-through or shiny materials could be items that attract the You can then remove this item so that this does not occur in the future, and you can also try to move the item outside the garage to get the hummingbird to fly out towards it instead.
Related article – How to keep spiders out of your garage.
How to Get a Hummingbird Out of a Garage
Firstly, you should try to let the hummingbird get out of the garage on its own. Try to patiently wait for the bird to find its way out of the way it had entered. If you do have to help the hummingbird get out, waiting will have also tired the creature out so it is less resistant to your assistance.
Clear the Area
You should remove all distractions or dangers from the area in which the hummingbird is stuck. This includes children, pets, or anything else that could move suddenly or make any sudden noises. You should also be sure to remain quiet and move slowly so that you do not further stress the bird when you are trying to help. As mentioned previously, you should remove objects that might attract the bird as well, such as anything red, see-through, or shiny. If there are ceiling fans or floor fans in your garage, you should turn these off, too, in order to avoid any accidents.
Close Off the Area
In order to avoid the bird getting farther into your home, you should close off all of the doors that lead farther into the house. Any object or space that emits light and is not an exit to the outside is something that should be blocked off or covered– with a sheet, for example– to avoid confusing the animal.
However, you should be sure to open up the garage doors and windows that would lead back outside so that the hummingbird can escape. When opening the windows in your garage, you should remove the window screens as well so that the hummingbird does not fly into them and damage itself.
If a hummingbird is stressed, it will panic and fly all over trying to find an escape, so it is very important that you open up as many escape routes for it as possible. You can then shut off all of the lights in this space so that the hummingbird can be led back outside by the natural light.
Lure the Hummingbird to Safety
If the previous tips do not work, you can take this one step further and try to lure the bird to safety. It is recommended that you only try this after waiting a bit to try and let the bird escape on its own. This makes it less likely that you will scare or stress the creature out more than necessary. However, if this has not worked, you can try to lure the hummingbird with a bird feeder or some sort of bright red object.
Try placing your bird feeder, which the hummingbird may already be familiar with, at the entrance to the garage. This may draw the bird’s attention and coax it out of the garage space. If you do not have a bird feeder, or it is difficult to move, you could also try to use a bright red object. After all, hummingbirds are attracted specifically to flowers of this colour. You could use anything in this colour, such as a piece of cloth or a towel, for example.
Shoo the Hummingbird Out
The hummingbird may still be confused and disoriented, and not exit the garage, even due to all of your efforts. In this case, you may need to physically corral the bird out of space. You could do this by using a broom, or even your hands, to gently herd the hummingbird away. Be careful and be sure that you do not actually come into contact with the animal because you will harm it.
Once the Bird Has Escaped
Once you have successfully got the hummingbird out of your garage, you should immediately close all doors and windows so that it cannot re-enter the space. You should also be sure to evaluate how the animal got into the garage in the first place to prevent the issue in the future.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do you get a hummingbird out of your garage during the day?
If a hummingbird is trapped in your garage, you should open the doors and all of the windows so that exits are readily available. You should also turn off all of the lights in the garage so that the hummingbird is attracted to the natural light and can find the exits clearly. Also, be sure that you remove the window screens so that the bird does not fly into them when trying to exit, and hurt itself.
How do you scare away hummingbirds?
One of the things that scare hummingbirds is loud noises, such as loud music, children, or pets. If you are looking to start a hummingbird out of your garage, you could do so by making loud noises, such as clapping your hands and stomping to chase the bird out of the garage. However, you should first try to get the hummingbird out of the garage without scaring it, as the creature is probably already scared enough.
