A backyard birder had to get creative to rescue a female cardinal. Read the dramatic story of how she managed to get the songbird to safety.
The Great Cardinal Rescue
Birds & Blooms reader Lisa Goad of Vinton, Virginia, shared this amazing story of a cardinal rescue in her own backyard. “On a 21-degree January morning, I heard scratching inside one of our gazebo columns, which are 8 feet tall and hollow. A female cardinal (similar to the one above) had found her way inside.
My aunt and I tried lowering a rope down inside the column for the bird to grab, but with no success. Then we thought a long mesh scarf might be easier for her to clutch, but she didn’t take that, either. Even lowering a peanut butter-covered pinecone didn’t tempt her out.”
Another Idea
Lisa continues, “Then my son tied a small plastic container to some fishing line and lowered the contraption down the column. The bird actually hopped into the container, and we were thrilled— but halfway up she shuffled out. Still hopeful, he lowered it again. Again, the cardinal stepped into the container. This time, she stayed there about two-thirds of the way up before hopping out.”
Persistence Pays Off
These determined rescuers did not give up. “On the third try, my son pulled even more gently, slowly hoisting the cardinal upward in her makeshift elevator car. Finally, she made it to the top of the column! She flitted right off to a nearby fence, where several other cardinals had sat all morning watching us rescue their comrade. Since then, we’ve covered our columns to prevent this from happening again,” Lisa says.
