Mickey the cockatoo is free from his shopping centre prison. Here’s what you do when a bird flies in

Why do birds fly inside?

Food is a common factor that lures birds inside buildings, according to John Grant, a spokesperson for wildlife rescue organisation Wires.

Pigeons and mynas “love a food court, as we all know”, he says.

Native birds, such as butcherbirds and magpies, also notice when food is left near a doorway or window ledge – either deliberately, or as leftover pet food – and it often isn’t long before the birds head inside to try their luck, he says.

But offering them a bite is not recommended, Grant says.

What should I do if a bird flies inside?

The first tip is age-old advice: stay calm.

“Once they’re in a house, if there’s a dog or a pet or a child who wants to get close to it, then the bird will panic and start flying everywhere,” Grant says.

The ensuring chaos means birds can easily injure themselves – particularly if they fly into ceilings, fans or closed windows.

It is best to move slowly and quietly, remove any food in the area and lock pets like dogs or cats in a room, Grant says.

Then open all the windows and doors, and wait.

But what if I want to attract birds?

Dr Holly Parsons, an urban bird expert and program manager at BirdLife Australia, says feeding birds for fun is a controversial and complex issue in Australia; an activity that millions of people enjoy that is not recommended by experts or authorities.

“Living on brioche and water”, like Mickey, isn’t healthy.

“Something like bread is actually really bad for birds, it doesn’t have a lot of nutrition for them, it just takes up space,” Parsons says.

Minced meat, which many people fed to magpies and kookaburras, is also problematic.

“Mince is just the muscle, which means it doesn’t have a huge amount of vitamins and minerals from calcium and things that birds need,” Parsons says. “It’s also really sticky, so it can get stuck in beaks and breed bacteria, and there can be problems with beak snapping.”

She urges those who plan to feed birds to “think really carefully”, be responsible and abide by any rules or signs in public places.

Bird baths are a better option for attracting wildlife, provided the water is kept clean and there are rocks to help birds get out of deep water if they slip.

Parsons says while there can be challenges sometimes from birds and people living together in urban environments, there are also “a huge range of positives”.