You cannot legally trap most birds in many states and countries. However, in a survival situation, or to do some basic population control in your yard, light trapping is permissible. Though you may need a permit, and you'll certainly find pre-made traps more effective, you can build your own bird trap with some basic supplies at home or in the wild..

Looking somewhat like an upside down "L," the Ojibwa Bird Pole has been a staple of indigenous hunters in Canada for centuries. Birds perch on a small horizontal branch, which you rig to fall under their weight. They are then caught in a noose positioned underneath before they can fly away. You'll need:

• The Pole: A large branch, roughly the width of a few fingers and 5-6 feet long.
• The Perch: A pencil-thin stick, roughly six inches long.
• A rock, roughly the size of your fist.
• A 3-4 foot cord or rope, shoestrings and sleeping bag chords will work.
• A knife.^[

You drive the bottom side into the ground, so it needs to be sharp enough to plant. The sharpened top end prevents a bird from landing on the top, not your perch.