Hundreds of small birds trapped in the chimney of a Montecito home were freed Monday thanks to firefighters and Santa Barbara County Animal Services workers.
According to the Montecito Fire Department, crews were first called to the house in the 100 block of Hermosillo Rd. at about 8 p.m. on Sunday for a report that birds or bats were trapped in the chimney. Officials say about 1,000 small birds were trying to fly out of the chimney and into the home but were blocked by the fireplace covering.
The hope was that the birds, identified as swifts, would fly up and out of the flue on their own overnight, but they were still there Monday morning.
Animal Services workers reportedly worked throughout the day to create a chute system that funneled the birds out of the fireplace and through the home's back doors.
