Bird trapping

Introduced in 2011, trap door traps are humane box traps with a spring-loaded lid and feeding platform. The trap attracts target birds to feed and is triggered when the bird steps on a perch. The trap then drops the bird via gravity into a quiet, comfortable space until they are ready for live removal and relocation. There is no stress to the bird – no part of the trap makes contact nor does a human touch. These traps offer flexibility in bait and attraction techniques, can be outfitted with an internal catch bag for bird removal, and some include a means to send a notification to a phone or remote operator that a bird has been captured. Trap door traps are most often used for relocating small birds that have entered public buildings and structures such as warehouses, atrium and airport terminals.

Clap traps are spring-loaded frames with netting that are set up in two parts that come together rapidly when triggered by birds or manually controlled to enclose birds. They are usually used for ground birds but some variants are used in shallow water for the capture of waterfowl. Clap traps may be placed at a location habitually used by birds or can include luring devices.

Funnel traps have a narrow entrance into which birds may be lured or driven and the entrance typically leads to larger holding pen or corral (which also gives them the name of corral trap). Funnel traps can be very large and a particularly well-known large scale form was devised in the German bird observatory at Heligoland and are termed as a Heligoland trap.[10]

Flocking birds are sometimes trapped using a large net which is thrown using a series of synchronized cannons or rockets that shoot a weight that drags a net behind it over the entire flock. These nets are also called rocket nets or boom nets. Capturing entire flocks can be an important tool for studies where large numbers of birds need to be examined (such as when monitoring for viruses) or when the birds are gregarious and social. These techniques are used especially in open habitats and are particularly suited for waders and waterbirds. After examination, ringing or other operations, the captured birds are usually released together rather than individually.

Mist nets are fine nets that are suitable for capturing birds in woodlands. The fine net is strung across trees so as to lie in the flight path of a bird. A bird flies into the nearly invisible net and falls to a fold at the bottom of the net where it usually gets entangled. These nets are used especially in bird ringing and are typically never left unsupervised. A bird that falls is quickly removed to avoid injury to the bird and to prevent it from falling prey to predators.

Birds that walk on the ground can be captured using an array of mono-filament nooses. These are usually placed along favoured feeding, roosting or nest sites.[11] Some raptors are trapped using live-bait and nooses on the cage holding the bait. This trap, also known as a bal-chatri, has also been adapted to capture other birds such as shrikes.[12] A "noose carpet" is another variant that consists of a number of tiny nooses on a mat.[13]

The muscles of perching birds allow the toes to pull inwards with some force but there are no strong muscles to open them up. The application of sticky latex, "birdlime", often obtained from a local tree to favourite perches is used in many parts of the world to capture small birds. Other variations include the use of a long stick daubed with birdlime that is manually placed over the bird to cause its wings to get stuck.[14] The sale and use of birdlime is illegal in many jurisdictions, but its use was widespread in older times.[15]

Netting larks at night with a lantern

Some birds such as partridges and pheasants can be caught in the night by stunning them with bright light beams.[16] Before the 19th Century, lanterns were used for hunting larks at night in Spain, Italy and England. In Italy the technique was known as lanciatoia and in England it was referred to as bat-fowling or low belling.[1]

Ducks, geese and other water birds can use their wings and bills to batter handlers and inflict potentially significant injuries. Loons, grebes and herons have long, sharp beaks, which they will stab at the face of a handler. These could inflict serious injury. To restrain a captured waterfowl, the handlers can grasp the base of the neck and hold the wings back and immobile, much like they would a domestic waterfowl. ([20])

Shore birds are not difficult to handle. After carefully extracting them from the net, small birds can be held around the body, with the fingers at the back of the head. While shore birds are not aggressive, they do have sharp beaks. Some caution should be used in keeping the bird's beak away from the handler's face, as is the case with any bird. ([21]).

Raptors are adapted carnivores. Their talons and beaks are designed to rend flesh from prey. They can cause serious injury to an unwary handler! Use of heavy leather gloves is recommended when handling raptors. Though a raptor's beak and talons can pierce it, it will provide some protection for the handler. A simple falconer's hood can reduce stress on the bird, while a tether at the metatarsi could bind the bird to a perch or block. Raptors can be captured by throwing a towel over the target, then wrapping it in the towel. This technique works best when the bird is on a flat surface. Another way is to wrap your hands around the body and wings of the bird, making sure to grab the feet and pull them up to the body from behind. Once you have the bird in hand, restrain the talons and head. There are different ways of doing this, and each is dictated by what you will be doing with the bird. Owls have a defensive posture where they will lie on their back and flail at a handler with their talons. Use a towel for the owl to claw at. A trapped raptor will clamp onto the first thing it can get its talons around. While it has the towel, its legs can be secured. The talons of a large raptor must be carefully controlled! If a handler is impaled by a talon, allow the bird to move away, or risk struggle and injury. Medium-sized raptors can be restrained by a set of nylon hose for long periods of time. ([21])

Penguins: Though flightless, a penguins' wings can be used as flippers to beat handlers. Penguins must be grasped at the base of the head from behind, so as to avoid the sharp, fish catching beak. Another way to capture large penguins is to cover them in a trash can with a hole in the bottom. Ostrich, emu, and cassowaries: Large members of this croup have pecking beaks and long legs used to kick. The cassowary in particular has a large claw on one toe that can inflict serious lacerations and punctures, or even disembowelment. Emus can be handled with a straddling technique, where one arm goes around the body and the other behind the legs. Ostriches and cassowaries, however, need to be moved to a smaller enclosure to be physically handled. One technique is to have a special enclosure that is open until the ostrich reaches a corner. Once in the corner, the wall of the enclosure will come to the side of the ostrich, trapping it in a narrow rectangular set of walls. Other restraint techniques include lowering and directing the head of the ostrich. This is said to discourage an ostrich from kicking forward. A large wooden shield can be used to get a cassowary or an ostrich into a holding enclosure without injury to the handler. This technique is favored when handling cassowaries due to their formidable claws and aggressive behavior. ([21])