Swan trapped on Oldham pub roof for several days finally rescued by RSPCA
A swan who crash-landed on the roof of a pub had to be rescued after it became trapped for several days because the space was too small to take off again.
The RSPCA was called to the flat roof of the Kingfisher pub in Chew Valley Road in Oldham by concerned members of the public.
The animal charity’s inspector, who wore protective equipment because of avian flu risks, climbed onto the roof to grab the stricken swan who was struggling to navigate her way back home.
A resident living nearby spotted the bird was unable to launch herself off to fly because there was not enough space on the roof.
The swan was uninjured and was ringed, so the inspector was able to locate the water course to return her to.
“It was a strange job to go to as I can’t recall ever seeing a swan crash-landed on top of a pub,” said inspector King.
“She just couldn’t get off and may have been tired out trying to do so. It was a small flat area, but she needed extra space to take a run and was stuck.
“It may have been that she attempted to land there as swans can often mistake metallic objects for water and there were extractor fans on the roof.
"She wasn’t injured and I picked her up and put her in my swan bag to keep her calm."
“There were no other swans on the pond so it was a perfect spot for a release,“ Ryan added. “It was good to see her swim off.”
The RSPCA have warned that members of the public should avoid handling birds they come across in similar circumstances because of rising cases of avian flu.
Avian flu can be carried by all bird species, but seabirds, waterfowl and birds of prey are the most common species reported.
“It is a highly contagious disease within birds and it’s important to take all precautions to stop its spread.