catching or trapping birds

[Choppy]

And I don't mean wild birds.

What is the best way to catch birds in your aviary when you need to?

In my small cage I had success with a net, but even this stressed the birds (and me).

[jonno0383]

If you use the search option in the top right hand you'll find a number of older posts that cover this. Traps as feeding stations are IMO the least stressful method

[Choppy]

trust me, I've been giving the search function a floggin since I've joined last week, and like most forums the search function brings up a broad range of posts.

For example typing "catching birds" into the search function brings up 61 pages of posts. I'm been spending a couple of hours a day reading stuff on this site when time permits (wife at work, kids at school), but no way could I get through 61 pages of posts on just one of the many subjects I am interested in learning more about.

thanks for your reply, the old guy over my back fence has a trap (which I suspect he used for more devious uses in his youth). I'll give that a try.

[Masterfincher]

I have 2 bird traps with automatic trap doors that i use; i leave them in the aviary for about an hour, they usually catch about a dozen birds each and i sort through what i want, then net catch the others after hanging/pegging sheets up to divide the aviary into smaller sections. I do find the traps catch up mostly juveniles- the older more wise seem to know to stay away - but generally that's what i am trying to catch anyway. I also have a stringed sliding trap door on my feeding station for when i need to catch a particular bird but you have to be patient ☺

[finchbreeder]

I find using the safety door area to shoo the birds I want to catch into can work. Mind you some of them are devious and avoid going out there when I am catching, and we all wind up puffing.
LML

[Choppy]

I realise the answer is probably a pineapple, but just how fragile are these birds when it comes to disturbing them, particularly with a net in hand.
Obviously the idea is too limit the amount of time you spend in the cage, but I am about to transfer some birds between cages and would hate to have one "fall off the perch" because I've stressed them too much.
On a completely different topic, good luck to anyone having a punt in the cup.

[Masterfincher]

They can be fragile but over quite a few years of catching with a net I have only lost 2 - both were Cubans. Others will pant from fright/exertion but seem to recover quickly. It's always a good idea to put some foam padding around your net wired edge for a bit of insurance. And, good luck to you

[Rob]

I send the missus in there with a net and yell at her. Me and my daughter watch with a cup of coffee and she has a milo. We don't let the missus out of the cage until the job is done. By then she's pretty shitty.
I'm gonna have to build a trap. Some birds are too hardcore for this method.

[jonno0383]

If the cage is no bigger than about 15msq and not heavily planted then you shouldn't have to much hassle with a net. If the birds start to pant and look stressed just go away and let them regain their composure before continuing. A simple improvised trap is using a small wire cage and propping the door open with a small stick or price of dowel. Put some bait inside the cage (live food, favored treats or seed) and tie some fishing line to the stick. Then it's just a waiting game. It can help to remove feeders while trapping to increase the chances of the birds entering the trap just don't leave them without food for too long.

[shnapper20]

sam davis uses a trap which he views with a remote camera and has an auto latch from a central locking plunger.
heres a link to the video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R8wDZzjWmUM
and heres a link to his post in the diy section https://www.aussiefinchforum.net/viewto ... 98#p139498