Birds can live for days weeks months and even years after an escape. Never give up. The following are some humorous yet informative suggestions that can not only help you keep your cool but can provide a better chance that your bird will return home safely.

1. Always look for a Grey before sun-up while it is still dark and after sundown. They are the most vocal then and the most active.
2. Typically day three is when they get hungry and try to come in for food they will go to just about any one at that time if they are tame.
3. Throw food on rooftops. Place a small cage on the roof of your house or anyone's where the Grey has been seen.
4. If possible contact organizations up to 50 miles away. Sometimes people find them while traveling and the birds inadvertently go home with them. Greys can also get that far by just flying.
5. If all else fails bribe . . . bribe . . . bribe.  Give all the children in the neighborhood a buck and tell them there is more if they can locate your bird. Kids tell on people that are hiding them also. Police will not help you retrieve a bird from someone else's home. You have to plan that one very carefully if they decide they want to keep your bird.
6. Have someone watch the bird at all times if he is spotted and you need to go for help.
7. If you try to climb the tree it often times scares them up. A long branch may be better to coax him onto. Use your head here. Raise his cage to where he is for it is much easier to raise a cage than scale a tall tree.
8. Have friends and family miles away in other cities watch the lost and found ads.
9. If he is roosted near dark wait until dark before trying to retrieve him. They don't fly well at night and they don't want to fly but make sure you don't miss. You may use a high powered flashlight to momentarily blind the bird while another person nets or grabs the bird.
10. If sighted keep the mobs of people away and try to coax him down yourself.  If your friends aren’t afraid of heights you can always have them perched in tall trees or on rooftops to watch where he goes if he takes off. You need spotters prepared and willing.