If you haven’t already done so, please see part 1 of this blog post where we begin discussing ways to prepare for emergencies with our birds by taking a closer look at air quality and fire emergencies. In part 2, we will look at some potential severe weather situations and how to be better prepared. Again, this isn’t intended to be a complete list or accounting of what a person will need when faced with emergencies. I am only hoping to help better prepare you with more information should you need it. 

Check back for part 3 - our final post where we discuss earthquakes, power outages and emergency rehoming situations.

Severe Weather

Sometimes, we can get a precious day or two to prepare for severe weather thanks to advancements in Meteorology. Hurricanes, for example, can be tracked and their paths predicted to the best ability by using computer models and satellite imagery. But sometimes we only have minutes to act and get our families to safety like with tornadoes. We can sometimes predict when the weather has the potential to be dangerous but often don’t know exactly how dangerous and where until it is nearly upon us.

Getting ourselves to safety is difficult and stressful as it is - but also caring for and protecting our birds on top of that can be especially trying. Birds have special needs and considerations that complicate the situation and most emergency shelters are set up for dogs and cats so it can be a challenge. However, it can be done.

Before we look at specific emergencies, there are a few things to be sure you have regardless of the emergency you’re faced with. It isn’t a complete list so be sure to come up with a plan that covers all of your bird’s needs:

• Ensure access to clean water if it becomes unavailable. This is one of the main issues people and their animals face after a major storm. It’s a good idea to keep a supply of clean, bottled water in case you need it. 

• Try to have available 2 weeks of food for each bird. In case it is difficult to leave your home after a storm, or deliveries are interrupted, you will want to make sure you don’t run out of food. Have waterproof containers ready to fill if you need to evacuate. Keep in mind that birds will often reject food they aren’t accustomed to, so don’t assume that whatever you can buy or get from someone else will be accepted by them. Try to have the food they eat regularly available. 

• Medical Considerations: Keep copies of your bird's medical records and vet information on hand as well as any medication they require. Create a parrot first aid kit as part of your storm preparedness plan that includes corn starch or styptic powder in case you have to deal with bleeding as well as some other essentials such as gauze pads, cotton swabs, vet tape, and syringes in case you need to administer medication. There are websites that list important items to include in your parrot first aid kit that I will list at the end of this post in the helpful links section. I also recommend keeping a list of avian vets in the surrounding areas in case your vet is unavailable and your bird requires medical care.

• Have a photo of your bird and yourself together as well as any identifying information for the bird. This can be helpful in case they become separated from you. If they have a leg band, write down what it says and keep it somewhere you will remember. Label your bird’s carrier with their name, your name and contact information and medical information if applicable.

• Have a list of places that will accept birds on an emergency basis. If you ever need to leave your home with your bird, having a list of bird-friendly hotels, shelters, or rescues can help a lot. Having a friend or family member ready and willing to let you stay with your birds should you need them could also be very helpful to know ahead of time. Have photos of you with your parrot and their identifying information and documents proving ownership in case there is any confusion when reclaiming your birds from a shelter or other facility.

• Keep a list or notecard with common household dangers to parrots. This will be very helpful in case you need to leave them with a friend or family member or stay with them in their home. Sometimes it's easy to forget how different a person’s home may be when they don’t have birds. Nonstick pans, candles, chemicals, etc. which are dangerous for birds are commonly used items in people’s homes. Bird Street Bistro offers helpful items such as a magnet listing foods to avoid for parrots that can be useful to those not accustomed to having them around. 

Hurricanes

The National Hurricane Center at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) analyzes data available from satellite images and uses computer models to predict where hurricanes will form, what path they will most likely take, and what kind of impact they will have. Depending on the situation, sometimes a person will be told to stay where they are and take necessary measures to protect their home and family. However, sometimes they are told that they need to evacuate and go somewhere safer. If you are ever given the order to evacuate, you must do so and not try to remain in your home. This puts the lives of the humans and animals in the house in danger as well as rescue personnel should you need them. There may be vet clinics and parrot boarding facilities in a safe location that offer shelter to parrots so finding out if this is possible could be a good idea. This would make it so you can have your parrots secured before a storm arrives.

Preparing for a hurricane in your home: 

As stated above, it is important to make sure you will have access to clean water if it becomes unavailable. I am reiterating it here because a lack of potable water is often one of the biggest challenges people face after a storm. When it comes to our birds, we don’t only use water to give them to drink - we use it to clean their bowls and also sanitize their areas and carriers. Try to keep about a gallon of water per bird per day for all of those tasks. Many people have suggested filling as many containers including sinks and bathtubs with clean water in case water supply is disrupted

Please see the above list for some recommendations to have on hand if you need to shelter in place. Storms can be a frightening experience for birds. If they are fearful due to lightning, thunder and wind you can cover their cages to lessen the stimulation to them. Be sure to keep your bird’s cage away from windows to prevent debris and glass from injuring them should they break due to high winds. Having them in a safe, central location in the house would be ideal. 

As stated earlier, try to have 2 weeks of food and supplies available for you and your birds in case you can’t leave your home. This can happen because of flooding and damage to roads such as blockage due to fallen trees and power lines. If power is lost, having LED candles (nothing that produces smoke or fragrance) and flashlights or battery operated lamps will be important at night. Keeping extra batteries on hand is a good idea for such things.

It's wise to be prepared with an evacuation kit should the situation become worse and you need to evacuate your home. Sometimes a storm is more dangerous than predicted and you could be given the order to evacuate. Please be ready to do just that so you and your birds are safe.

Evacuating during a hurricane:

Make sure your mobile phones are fully charged if possible and take any portable chargers you have with you when you leave. You may need them to contact your vet, family members, or hotels and shelters. Bring flashlights or LED candles with extra batteries in case you lose power or are in an area that is poorly lit at night. Placing LED candles alongside your birds in the evening so they can find their food and water can help. Remember that lighting regular candles can be dangerous to a bird's respiratory system so lighting that does not emit smoke or fragrance is best.

If your bird is harness-trained, bring it with you in case you need it. Bringing their favorite treats can help if you need to reinforce them to stay in an area that is unfamiliar and makes them nervous. Have towels and blankets ready in case you need them and of course keep birds away from accumulating water. Even a small amount of water can pose a drowning risk to humans and animals during a flood. Having waterproof containers to put your bird’s supplies and documents in will help when water is present.

If you are staying in a shelter or hotel or are leaving them with a facility, it's extremely important that you have your bird's identifying information on hand and that their carrier is labeled with their name, medical warnings if applicable, and your contact information. As stated earlier, putting that a reward will be offered should the bird get separated from you can help ensure someone returns them if they are found.

Tornados

All of the advice in this post is given assuming you can act on it safely. So, please exercise your best judgment when choosing how to act and take into account your home and specific situation. This becomes even more important when you have only minutes to react like with tornados. Sometimes, we are faced with decisions that are difficult and there isn't an easy choice. If a person does not have time to get their family as well as their bird's to a safe location, it can be a heartbreaking situation. That's why preparing ahead of time can make it more likely that everyone can get to safety.

Accessing a tornado shelter: 

When it comes to tornadoes, the most important and immediate consideration is getting to safety. To be prepared, you need to have a predetermined place to take shelter. Some houses come with basements and shelters and some apartment buildings have them available should you need them. Make sure you know where they are located ahead of time. Having carriers that are easy to access is very important when the warnings come out and you need to act quickly. If you don’t have access to a carrier, secure your bird in any way that you can to get them into the shelter with you. Harness training your bird is very helpful for situations like this. This can be done ahead of time to make evacuations easier. Depending on how long you will need to shelter, having water, blankets and food in the shelter can help. Try to keep the shelter free of excess dust ahead of time if possible. 

Try to remain calm to keep the bird from panicking. Birds are sensitive to loud noises and sudden changes in their environment as well as how their human companions are behaving. 

If you don’t have access to a shelter:

There are a few things you can do to help protect yourselves and your birds should you not have access to a tornado shelter. If you are told that severe weather is possible, try to have your bird in a safe area far in advance should a tornado or severe winds develop. A normally calm, cooperative bird might not be be so when people are panicking and a storm is present.  

Flying debris is one of the biggest dangers of a tornado. If your bird is in their cage, place it somewhere where there is less risk of this. If you can’t move it, try to cover it with a heavy blanket or something to block objects from striking it and injuring the bird. Having a carrier is much more ideal so you can take it with you to a part of the house that is safer away from windows etc. Smaller cages can be lifted and put in a safe location, but larger birds with big cages will need a carrier. Try to cover the carrier and cages with thick blankets if you can. If you don't have a carrier, try to secure the bird however you can. Again, this all depends on your situation, home, and what you have time for. 

The aftermath of tornadoes, depending on the severity, can be devastating. Something to consider when it comes to our birds is dust and pollutants in the air. Try to remove the bird from areas where this is present if possible since they are sensitive to such things. You may need to leave your birds with a friend or family member or a parrot rescue if you need to be around your home or areas where dust etc. is present. If this is the case, that is another reason why having a list of parrot shelters and hotels where you can keep your birds safely is so important. Some veterinarians may accept birds as well as volunteers within the parrot community. Just make sure if you choose to leave your parrot somewhere that it is with someone you can trust.

Helpful Links:

Preparing for Avian Emergencies - Parrot first aid kits and other helpful information. PDF information and podcast with Ellen Cook, DVM through the World Parrot Trust. 

Safety Guidelines: After a Hurricane or Other Tropical Storm - CDC website. You may need to consider some alternatives to items listed such as insect spray suggestions due to bird sensitivities. 

American Red Cross Tornado Safety Checklist (PDF)

American Red Cross Hurricane Preparedness Checklist (PDF)