Birds in Stove - Another First

Looks like you have a spark arrestor screen in the cap so not sure how they got in. I would look for any gaps where it attaches because the cap and screen is supposed to keep fairly small embers from escaping so birds shouldn't be able to fit through any openings that small.

When I was a kid we had a Vermont Castings stove. One day my mom and I heard a strange noise coming from the stove; scratching, rustling noises. Being a kid I probably thought the stove was possessed.

I went and got my ma.
She got scared too.

I grabbed a pair of heavy gloves laying alongside of the stove and decided to take a look inside. I slowly tuned the handle and opened the side door. I peeked inside and at first saw nothing. Freaky. Then all of a sudden a pair of eyes was staring at me.

A full grown mallard was in there! He was so covered in soot that he blended in at first.

Now my mom (RIP) was a saint, but unfortunately also a neat freak. Her house was as clean as a biochemical lab on inspection day. I knew we were at risk of a major day of cleaning if I didn't get that duck out of there without him freaking out and destroying the place. One option: close the door and wait a few days. Too cruel.

So instead I risked and just picked him up. In retrospect, this was a mistake. I have since picked up some ducks on my uncle's farm and those suckers are a bit more powerful than they seem. Fortunately this duck was either worn out or in shock and simply let me grab him.

I walked him out of my living room and out the front door. As soon as he saw daylight he was outta there! He flew northeast.

Happened a few times. My first clue is when I come home and see my three cats all sitting around the stove staring at it.

aansorge said:

When I was a kid we had a Vermont Castings stove. One day my mom and I heard a strange noise coming from the stove; scratching, rustling noises. Being a kid I probably thought the stove was possessed.

I went and got my ma.
She got scared too.

I grabbed a pair of heavy gloves laying alongside of the stove and decided to take a look inside. I slowly tuned the handle and opened the side door. I peeked inside and at first saw nothing. Freaky. Then all of a sudden a pair of eyes was staring at me.

A full grown mallard was in there! He was so covered in soot that he blended in at first.

Now my mom (RIP) was a saint, but unfortunately also a neat freak. Her house was as clean as a biochemical lab on inspection day. I knew we were at risk of a major day of cleaning if I didn't get that duck out of there without him freaking out and destroying the place. One option: close the door and wait a few days. Too cruel.

So instead I risked and just picked him up. In retrospect, this was a mistake. I have since picked up some ducks on my uncle's farm and those suckers are a bit more powerful than they seem. Fortunately this duck was either worn out or in shock and simply let me grab him.

I walked him out of my living room and out the front door. As soon as he saw daylight he was outta there! He flew northeast.

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Great story! He probably had a lungful of soot. I take it the chimney had no screen...

mtneer said:

Happened a few times. My first clue is when I come home and see my three cats all sitting around the stove staring at it.

Click to expand...

Another reason I like cats.

I had to chime in on this one. After 13 years of burning, and maybe a bird or two, this spring we've had about a dozen ( all but one rescued ). We have 5 cats, so that's quite a feat. Chimney cap for the kitchen stove doesn't have a screen ... another summer project. Well, at least the cats love it!

Jonathan