Retrieving a loose bird?

[aKirA]

Hello all,
Any tips on retrieving a loose bird? I know i will need a recall pen or sort.

As I was feeding my Mountain Quail pair, the male got loose. :( Do they sometimes return to pen? They are pretty tame so I hope so. The problem is, Im in the city with a small backyard. He flew out of my yard so I dont know if quails have homing instincts or not. He would have to fly over the wall/s back. So the odds seems against me. Im here trying to make quail calls in hopes to lure him back. LOL

As always, thanks for any help.

[faro]

Mine usually stay pretty close to home. He should come back at dusk to roost. Wait till dark and go out with your net and scoop him up.  Good Luck!

[jchiar]

he should be by the pen at dusk walk softly and carry a big net

[quailer370]

hope you catch him aKirA, one of my coturnix flew away and vanished after i allowed my little sister to hold her...that was when i started trimming wings. good luck

-quailer

[stewaw]

Give us a status report.  Did you get him? Has he showed back up?  If no to both questions, is there a way to prop open a gate so he doesn't have to fly back in?  Mine typically "walk the fence/pen" back and forth trying to get in. ESPECIALLY if I have at least one bird left in the pen calling them back.

David

[aKirA]

Thanks for the concern and high hopes guys.

I checked at dusk and this morning and he did not return. my backyard walls are brick. That was one of my concerns. If it where open country and no walls, I may have had a better chance I believe, considering the nature of these birds are not so flighty unless flushed. Also, as you all already know, they are generally quiet birds...especially the female moutain quail. She doesnt do much calling. I'll keep checking in the next few days. It's ok if he doesnt return, Im in California, so I just hope he doesnt fall victim to predators or cars and make it back to the mountains to his own kind.

Thanks again.

walk softly and carry a big net

jc, that's a good one. hehe

[faro]

Where abouts in Calif are you? If you don't get him back, I have a few extra males. I'm in No.Cal. Sac. area, but I don't ship.

[aKirA]

Thanks for the generous offer faro. Sac is a little out of my way. Im in Long Beach, L.A. County.

This season was going to be my first with my Mountain Quail pair so I was pretty excited. As of now, I will just order some eggs and wait for next season.

[faro]

Sorry he didn't make it back....being in a city area like you are....he may have not been able to get back....if you know what I mean!

Lots of cats on the prowl in neigborhoods.

[aKirA]

yes exactly. My neighbor has a cat that constantly watches over my birds. lol that's why I been playing watchdog all yesterday till dusk. heh

[pennys dad]

Hey Akira why don't you hire a hit dog to take care of that cat. maybe a drive by would do.

[aKirA]

lol That's too cruel. Plus my neighbor is cool. Before my neighbor got the cat, there was a stray cat that used to come. With that cat, the thought have crossed my mind a few times to peg him in the leg with a pellet gun. heh But I would never really do it.

[japquails1410]

i lost both of my California quail last week i mange to get the hen back and then got her calling the cock back  i had to climb up a tree to get him so i have both of my quails back but if the hen did not call him i would not of got him back so put her in a calling run and he should come back

[aKirA]

Thanks. That's the thing, I've only had the Pair of Mountain quails for around 4 months. In that time, I have not heard the female call once. The male however calls all the time. So if the roles were reversed, I may have fair better with the male calling etc.

I have Californias and Bobwhites, I get them calling but it didn't seem to help.
Thanks again.

[japquails1410]

get a tape recoding off the net of a hen bird and play out side and see what happonds