Firefighters rescued a pigeon which had got trapped in netting above a shop on The Broadway in Woodford Green.
Volunteers from London Wildlife Protection first contacted the RSPCA and then requested the help of the Brigade after they unsuccessfully tried to free the bird themselves.
Watch Manager Adam Placey said: “When we arrived there were a lot of members of the public watching and it was causing a bit of a distraction to motorists.
"The bird was in a lot of distress and appeared to have a dislocated leg. It took less than 20 minutes from the time of the 999 call to free the bird from the netting. Volunteers took it away and were confident they could nurse it back to health.
“We were happy to help on this occasion, and will always be there in an emergency, especially if a person is likely to put themselves at risk to save an animal. However, we would always urge people to contact the RSPCA if they see an animal stuck or in distress.
“If the RSPCA require our assistance, they will call us and we are happy to assist with our specialist equipment.”
The Brigade was called at 1906 and the incident was over for firefighters by 1924. One fire crew from Woodford Green Fire Station attended the scene.