How to Get a Hummingbird Out of Your Garage (5 Ways)
If you’ve ever had the surprise of finding a hummingbird trapped in your garage, you know how stressful it can be. They are beautiful creatures, but they can be quite difficult to relocate, and sometimes they can even injure themselves in the process. In this article, we will discuss how to get a hummingbird out of your garage safely and how to prevent them from getting in there in the future.
If you’re currently facing this issue, we’re here to help. There are a few ways that you can help encourage the hummingbird to safely exit the garage.
How to Get a Hummingbird Out of Your Garage
The last thing you want to want to do is harm one of these beautiful birds. However, as you’ll read below, it can be very dangerous for the hummingbird that’s become trapped, so you must help it find its way out. They are very delicate and you should NEVER attempt to throw a blanket over a hummingbird as you could cause major damage to its wings.
Before you do anything, consider this. Hummingbirds can get stressed out, and this will only make the situation worse. If you have fans blowing, kids screaming, or anything else that might be causing additional stress on the bird, turn them off or remove them from the area immediately. This will alleviate the stress and help the situation drastically.
Open Garage Door & Windows
The first thing you should try is the most obvious. Open all the windows and doors so there are multiple escape paths for the hummingbird. If you can do this without touching or harming the bird and get it to fly away, this would be ideal.
However, unfortunately, hummingbirds typically think to fly “up” to get out of stressful situations and that’s just nothing to work when stuck inside the garage as they get trapped by the ceiling.
If there’s something specific that appears to be distracting them, remove it and set it just outside the garage. Hummingbirds eat nectar from bright colored flowers and are therefore attracted to these colors, especially bright oranges and reds. If the bird is buzzing around the same bright-colored object over and over, try removing it to see if it’ll follow you out.
Luring It Out
If the above doesn’t work, don’t fret, other safe alternative methods can work. Trying to lure the hummingbird out of your garage with brightly-colored flowers is the next best option. The flower will attract the bird, and this is another option that runs very little to no risk of hurting the bird. Although it can take a bit of time, it doesn’t require any contact between you on the hummingbird and it’s safe.
As you can see in the video, there’s a process to this plan and it takes some time, but it should work, and there’s no need to grab at the hummingbird or take a chance at damaging its delicate little wings.
If you can’t find any bright red flowers but have a hummingbird feeder around, that might work too. Just put the hummingbird feeder on a chair or something near the garage door opening. It’ll work best if all the lights in the garage are off and the light outside helps inspire the trapped bird in the direction of the open garage door.
Safely Encourage the Little Guy
If it won’t fly away through an open door and luring the trapped hummingbird out with bright objects isn’t working, eventually, you might have to encourage him a bit more to get free. Don’t worry, this can be done safely if you take your time.
First, use a broom or rake, holding it steady next to the hummingbird at the garage ceiling, hoping it’ll land on it. If he does, you can gently walk it outside and release it back outside where it’ll fly away. Note, this may take several attempts as the bird may be a little sketchy about landing on the broom, so move slowly towards the open door.
Turn off the Lights and Make It Dark
Hummingbirds don’t like to fly when it’s dark. By turning off the lights and leaving the door open, they will be attracted to the sky and light outside rather than what’s inside. This is very effective at night when the garage will get dark and you can turn on any outside lights, luring them to fly away outside.
If the hummingbird doesn’t immediately fly out in the dark, it might also decide it’s now safe to flutter down to the ground. If this is the case, you can take a flashlight and find the little guy on the floor and attempt to gently pick it up. Remember that they’re fragile so don’t throw anything on top of the hummingbird, but you can scoop it up softly and release it quickly outside. If it appears exhausted, let it sit on the floor for a few minutes before helping it out.
Contact a Professional Wildlife Expert
This is likely an unnecessary step, but if all else fails, you can contact a local professional and ask for some help. They will help remove the hummingbird that has become trapped and you can wash your hands of the situation altogether.
Why Do Hummingbirds Fly into Garages
Hummingbirds are attracted to garages for a few reasons that range from looking for shelter from wind or rain, trying to find food, or seeking refuge from predators. Since hummingbirds are naturally attracted to red objects, it’s no wonder that they end up in garages from time to time. Almost every single garage has a red emergency release cord hanging just inside the garage door.
They fly in attracted to red objects like the emergency release cord, then become trapped when they can’t seem to find their way off the ceiling to find an exit.
How to Keep Hummingbirds Out of a Garage
There are a few things you can do to prevent hummingbirds from getting into garages in the first place. Deterrence is much easier than trying to remove the birds once they’re trapped.
Keep the Garage Door Closed
If the door is closed, they obviously won’t be flying into your garage in the first place. Keeping your garage door closed when you’re not using it is always a good idea. It also provides added security to your home. Not only will it deter the hummingbirds and other animals from entering your garage, but it’ll also deter would-be thieves from an easy way into your home.
Remove Objects that are the Color Red
Removing any items that might attract hummingbirds would be a great idea. This would be anything colorful, especially red items or anything that could be mistaken as a hummingbird feeder. Hummingbirds go toward feeders anytime they get the chance, so if they can see something similar in your open garage, you better believe they’ll be attracted to flying at it, not even thinking about finding an escape or exit.
Place Colorful Flowers or a Hummingbird Feeder Outside & Nearby
If you can’t keep your door closed for some reason and removing red items doesn’t work for you, consider planting a color flower bush or placing a red feeder at a site near your garage’s doors. It should distract them from the garage altogether, and if it doesn’t, at least it provides a helpful reason for them to escape or exit the site for some sweet nectar outside!
How Long Can Hummingbirds Go Without Food
Hummingbirds can go without food for up to two weeks, which is a long time for an animal that typically eats every few hours. So, how do they manage to survive for so long without food? The answer lies in their metabolism. They have a high metabolic rate, which means they burn through energy quickly. When they don’t eat, they slow down their heart rate and breathing and enter into a state of torpor. This allows them to conserve energy until they can find another meal.
While hummingbirds can go without food for a while, it’s not ideal. They need to eat regularly to maintain their high energy levels. Without food, they can become exhausted more quickly.
How Long Can Hummingbirds Go Without Food
If trapped in a garage for too long, a hummingbird can become exhausted and even die. It’s important to remember that while hummingbirds are tough little creatures, they may need our help if they become trapped. When they’re not able to find food, they can become weak and tire quickly. If you find a hummingbird in your garage, it’s best to try to remove it as soon as possible or contact a wildlife expert to help you.