BEEP-BEEP-BEEP!! That's how it all started early this January when my zebra finch, Snowflake, introduced himself to me. This was, however, no ordinary introduction, as I was inside my house watching my feeder birds, and he was outside, flying down from the rooftop to the millet I had scattered on the ice-covered ground for the doves and sparrows! Fortunately, although it was a cold, wintry day, I had my bathroom window open so I could hear the Carolina wrens singing back and forth. It was when the wrens paused that a tiny little ball of silver-and-white fluff made his grand entrance, beeping all the way. I simply could not believe my eyes when I saw that this new bird call was coming from the most precious and unusual bird that had ever visited one of my feeders! I ran outside with my camera, and was completely amazed yet again when I was able to get within several inches of this new bird for photographs. He even took food from my fingertip! I could barely contain my excitement when upon closer examination I realized I had some sort of brand-new species of white finch on my hands! I live in northern Virginia, and this is hardly a common sighting around here.

I returned to the warmth of my house to look up "white finch" on a search engine, and my new friend continued to eat seed alongside the sparrows. My search results brought me to several zebra finch websites, and within fifteen minutes of spotting the bird I now knew what I was looking at. I also knew, from reading about their native habitat, that he was an exotic "escapee", and that he would not be able to withstand the current thirty-five degree weather. A phone call to an avian veterinarian confirmed this for me when I was told "he probably won't survive the winter if you don't catch him". Whoa!! I had never owned a bird before, much less caught one! I had to give myself a moment to figure out just how I was going to accomplish this task.

My poor husband, who was in bed with pneumonia at the time, was going to be of no help, so I dreamt up this gentle, low-stress method for capturing this sweet little bird whom I had now christened "Snowflake". I brought a small, plastic bowl and a cardboard box outside, and because Snowflake was extraordinarily tame, I was able to approach him within several inches, as long as I crawled up to him on my hands and knees. As he was still majorly preoccupied with eating, I awaited a moment when he turned his back to me, and then I gently lowered the bowl over him. I then turned the box on its side right next to him, and scooted him and the bowl along the ground and into the box, keeping him covered the whole time until I was able to upright the box and quickly close the flaps and hurry him into the house. (I remove moths and spiders who get trapped in my house outside using a similar method.) I lacked a bird cage, but figured my cat carrier would do in a pinch. Snowflake flew right from box to carrier, and eagerly began consuming the bird seed I had scattered on the bottom. Two minutes later he was asleep next to his make-shift water bowl. Two hours later, I returned from the pet store with my very first bird cage, a bag of finch food, and everything else that I had deemed necessary for the care and keeping of a zebra finch.

Snowflake has now been with me for eight months. Four days after rescuing him he began singing, much to my delight. (I had not known at this point whether he was really a "he".) Within three months, he had molted into his adult plumage, growing bright-orange cheek patches, and brown-pied flanks, and his pale coral beak and legs darkened several shades. He has become a beautiful, vibrant bird. He loves spinach, carrots, bananas, swinging on his swing, ringing his bells, bathing in his saucer-bath, and singing! From looking at the photos I took when I first found him, it is now readily apparent to me that he was quite a young bird, which makes my heart go out to him even more, and makes me so very grateful that I found him. I love Snowflake with all my heart, and cannot imagine beginning my day without his cheerful song and delightful antics. He brings joy to everyone who meets him; may his story do the same for you!

Article © Lisa Barker 2002