First you want to make sure that the bird is in fact trapped and is not nesting. It is not uncommon for chimney swifts, for example, to choose chimneys as a nest site.
If you hear persistent flapping coming from one spot in the chimney, chances are you have a bird that needs your help getting out.
You’ll want to do some preparations before opening your fireplace. There are a couple of different scenarios as to how this can play out:
1. If there is a door or a window that leads outside in the same room as the fireplace, open just one and cover up any other windows and doors and dim the lights. You want the bird to be attracted to this single light source that leads outside. It’s also a good idea to close doors to any other rooms to prevent the bird from going elsewhere in your house. Now you’re ready! If you need to open the damper...[READ MORE]
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Continue reading the original article here: https://cwf-fcf.org/en/about-cwf/faq/faqs/chim-chiminey.html
This article reproduced in part with permission from The Canadian Wildlife Federation.