Living with birds: company, attention and family life

Living with a bird is a wonderful experience, but it is worth knowing what it really involves. The most common mistake is to treat the bird as a decorative object that lives in its cage. A bird is a social, long-lived and intelligent animal that needs to be part of the household's life.

A bird is not a decorative pet

For a long time the bird was sold as an easy pet: a cage, food, water and that's it. It is a mistaken idea that causes a great deal of suffering. A bird that lives like that becomes bored, stressed and ill — physically and emotionally.

Living well with a bird means integrating it into the family routine: giving it interaction, stimulation, time out of the cage and a flock —you— to look after it.

One or several birds?

Birds are social, so the question is a fair one. There is no single answer:

• A bird on its own can be very happy if its human family gives it real company and interaction every day. If it is going to spend many hours alone, it is not fair on it.
• Several birds keep each other company, but living together depends on the species, the sex and the temperament, and it requires a gradual introduction and enough space.
• Two closely bonded birds may focus more on each other and less on the human: that is not a problem, just a different relationship.

The important thing is to be honest about the time you have available.

The time and attention it needs

This is the part that is most underestimated. A bird needs, every day:

• To come out of the cage and move around in a safe environment.
• Real interaction with its family — talking, playing, being together.
• Enrichment that keeps it mentally active.
• Adequate rest: many birds need plenty of hours of quiet, dark sleep; lack of sleep causes stress and altered behaviour.
• A stable routine: birds feel safe with predictable schedules.

The bird as a member of the family

For your bird, you are its flock. It likes to be where the family is, to take part in the routine, to «talk» with you. Placing its cage in a lively part of the house (without it being a spot with draughts, excessive noise or hazards) and spending quality time with it makes it much happier than keeping it out of the way.

Birds and children

A bird and a child can live together very well, with two clear ideas: the bird is an adult's responsibility, not «the child's pet»; and the child must learn to respect it. Birds are fragile and very sensitive to sudden movements and loud noises. Teach the child to speak quietly near the bird, not to chase or grab it, to interact calmly and always with an adult present. Done well, it is a way of living together that teaches respect and care.

Birds and other animals

You have to be very careful. The cat is a natural predator of birds, and many dogs also have a hunting instinct. Even if they live together in apparent harmony:

• Never leave the bird and a predator together unsupervised.
• Ensure separate spaces: the cage somewhere the cat cannot reach.
• Watch the time out of the cage: that is when the bird is most exposed.
• A scratch or a bite from a cat, even a slight one, is very dangerous for a bird because of the bacteria in its saliva: it requires an urgent vet visit.

A commitment of many years

Birds are long-lived animals: depending on the species they can live from several years to several decades. Adopting a bird is a long commitment that must fit with your present and future life. If you adopt through a rescue, they can advise you on the species and temperament of the particular bird so that your choice is a realistic one.

In short: a bird is not a decorative pet, it is a social animal that needs to be part of the family, with daily interaction, time out of the cage, enrichment and rest. Be honest about the time you have, integrate the bird into the household's life, always supervise it around children and other animals, and accept that it is a commitment of many years.