What to Consider When Adopting a Bird

Before adopting a bird, you’ll need to ensure that you have the proper space, time, knowledge, supplies, and ability to provide for the bird’s unique needs. Birds need specialized diets tailored to their species, care from a veterinarian who specializes in avian health, lots of daily social and mental enrichment, exercise, and a safe, comfortable, and species-appropriate enclosure for resting. 

Pet birds can be messy and are often quite vocal, so make sure your lifestyle is amenable to these behaviors. You’ll also need to consider the lifespan of the species you’re interested in adopting.

Below, we’ll delve into the nitty-gritty of adopting a bird, including care considerations, costs, and other factors to expect. 

Are you ready to adopt a bird?

If you’ve decided to welcome a rescued bird into your home, it’s important to make sure you’re informed about their care, ready to provide for all of their needs, and that you can accommodate their normal and natural behaviors.

Non-domesticated birds, such as parrots, born or raised most of their life in captivity, can not be returned to the wild. Instead, they require dedicated human care. However, according to the Avian Welfare Coalition, “The vast majority of captive birds live in situations that fail to meet their true physical and behavioral needs. And each year, thousands become victims of abuse, neglect, and displacement. Some even face the fate of being euthanized.”

So, before signing all the pet adoption paperwork, ensure that you meet the minimum adoption requirements and take time to research the type of bird you want to adopt and how to properly care for them.

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Special considerations when adopting a bird

Rescued birds can be delightful, playful, social companions. They’re adorable, intelligent, curious, and some species can learn to mimic an array of words and sounds. However, they also have a range of unique social, mental, and physical needs. They can be expensive, messy, and loud. They can be wary of humans, especially if they’ve endured cruelty. And some may be quite nippy and prone to nibbling on your home. 

Their care requirements and natural behaviors will depend on the species or type of bird you’re adopting. Before adopting, you’ll need to consider their lifespan, social, mental, and exercise needs, the foods they eat, the type of enclosure that’s most adequate for them, and the kind of vocalizations and behaviors common to their species. While you may be tempted to adopt a certain bird based on how cute or charming they look, it’s important to base your decisions on their care and factor in behavioral considerations. 

Species

Each species or grouping of birds has their own unique needs. Make sure to thoroughly read about the care requirements for the specific bird you plan on adopting. You may find some parrot species available to adopt from the Psittacidae family, doves and pigeons from the Columbidae family, and finches and canaries from the Fringillidae family. Doves and parrots, for example, will have much differing social, health, and enrichment needs. 

Lifespan

Considering a bird’s lifespan — and the time commitment required to care for them — is critical, because some larger parrots, such as macaws and African greys, can live more than 70 years when well cared for. Meanwhile, smaller commonly kept parrots, such as lovebirds, have shorter life expectancies of around 10 to 15 years, depending on their breeding and the quality of care they receive. 

Social needs

The type of birds commonly kept as pets are often highly social and need hours of active interaction and companionship every day. Some birds do best when housed with members of their own group or species (in pairs or small flocks), but others might prefer being solo. However, it’s crucial that individual birds are gently and slowly introduced, get along together, and are of the same sex so they don’t breed.

• Doves, for example, often benefit from cohabitation with each other in a roomy aviary. Flock animals tend to engage in parallel activities, such as eating, preening, playing, and napping at the same time. Keeping appropriately matched rescued birds together can facilitate this natural behavior. 

• But some species, such as Amazons, Eclectus parrots, or Canaries, can be selectively social. If you are adopting a bird who is too territorial or defensive to be near other birds, you can try participating in activities together to fill this need, such as eating near each other at the same time or napping/having downtime together on the couch. An African grey, for example, may enjoy dozing on your shoulder while you read or have a fruit snack together. 

Exercise and mental stimulation

Ron and Charlie Howard, of Avian Rescue Corporation (ARC), explain that rescued parrots require varied daily exercise, mental enrichment, and attention. This includes foraging, flying, wing flapping, walking, climbing, playing with toys, solving puzzles, and engaging with their people. Supervised play, exercise, and socializing outside of their enclosure is important to maintain their physical and mental health. 

In their enclosure, you’ll also need to keep food enrichment foragers, perches, steps, rope swings, toys, and ladders. Make sure to tailor exercise and mental enrichment to the type of bird you’re adopting. For birds who spend the majority of their day outside of their enclosure, the housing should be sized at least one-and-a-half times the size of their wingspan, and bigger is better. 

Charlie, who handles ARC’s medium- and large-sized parrots, says, “They need toys — preferably wooden — [at] various spots in their cage to help keep them occupied when they are in their enclosure.” Beyond toys, birds often respond to sounds. “Parrots love music and often dance to the sound. They like to sing and play games, particularly ‘peek-a-boo.’ They can be taught to imitate different sounds, such as whistling…and they can also learn to repeat the same sounds they hear, ” Howard says.

Training

Pet birds can also benefit from learning through positive reinforcement. Parrots, who are naturally highly inquisitive and intelligent, can be especially keen on learning cues. Howard recommends that birds be taught to “step up” for their safety, onto your arm, hand, platform, etc. 

As long as training is structured in a fun and rewarding environment, teaching cues and to mimic sounds or words can contribute positively to your rescued bird’s mental health and enrichment. 

Food

You’ll need to tailor a feeding schedule and ingredients to the type of bird you adopt. For example, a healthy diet for lovebirds consists of 70 to 80 percent pelleted food formulated for small parrots, plus 20 to 30 percent fresh vegetables, seeds, and a very small amount of fruit. Since they are naturally consistent foragers, food and fresh water should be available to lovebirds throughout the day. 

You can put the food in both easy-to-access shallow dishes as well as in food-foraging toys. If you plan on adopting more than one bird and cohabiting them, it’s important to regularly assess their eating habits and make sure all the birds are getting equal access to the food.

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Vocalizations

Making vocalizations throughout the day is a natural and crucial behavior for birds. The kind of vocalizations your rescued bird will make will depend on what type of bird they are. 

• Doves and pigeons make a range of cooing sounds that vary in pitch, volume, note, repetition, and duration. They may also make short grunting noises when alarmed, and some, such as mourning doves, may whistle when taking off or landing. 

• Parrots make a wide range of sounds, including trills, whistles, songs, squawks, screeches, screams, purrs, and mimicry of other sounds and even words. “They can be taught to imitate different sounds, such as whistling, or just through repetition, a telephone ring. They can also learn to repeat the same sounds they hear,” Howard says. “Teaching a parrot to talk or repeat sounds takes a lot of time. Teaching a parrot is similar to teaching a child…patience and lots of time.” 

Before committing to bringing them home, make sure to become familiar with the sounds that the bird you want to adopt makes, and deeply consider if you and your household will happily coexist with these vocalizations. Also note that boredom and distress can increase some types of vocalizing, especially among parrots, such as screeching. Ensuring they get enough enrichment and socializing throughout the day is essential for the health of rescued birds and can also reduce the occurrence of frustrated screeches. 

What you might not know about adopting a bird

Here’s a breakdown of some of the aspects of adopting and caring for a bird that you might not know.

Sensitive respiratory systems

According to VCA Animal Hospitals, respiratory diseases are one of the most common health conditions seen in all species of pet birds. To reduce the chance of infections, you’ll need to regularly clean and sanitize the bird’s enclosure, toys, and perches. You should also provide proper nutrition and ensure proper ventilation of the enclosure or aviary. 

Birds are also extremely sensitive to some common household fumes, and you’ll need to avoid exposing them to fumes, from self-cleaning ovens to  Teflon-coated cookware. Be sure to consider the type of fumes produced in your house and research how to best bird-proof your home from these hazards.

Often noisy

Many pet birds, especially parrots, can be quite noisy. Vocalizing is a natural behavior, so it’s important to be prepared for (and tolerate) some sound additions to your home if you decide to adopt a bird. 

Light exposure

According to the Best Friends Animal Society, pet birds need an absolute minimum of 30 minutes of direct sunlight exposure each week to support their vitamin D production. You can achieve this through having an outdoor aviary, taking them outside in a travel enclosure, or taking them out in a harness if they are trained and comfortable with this approach. You can also boost their vitamin D intake with pellet supplementation.

Specialty veterinary care

You’ll need to take your bird to a veterinarian who specializes in birds to make sure they get the proper healthcare. In addition to treating your bird if they are ill or injured, an avian vet can advise you on proper care and ensure they’re getting the appropriate diet. 

Time to trust

Some birds, especially those rescued from inhumane environments, can take longer to trust their human caregivers. “You need to remember that most rescued parrots have been abused or neglected,” Howard explains. They may not always be overly friendly to humans, but he adds that “time and attention can help heal the problem.” It’s important to move at the speed they begin to trust you, to help your rescued bird see you as someone who’s safe to interact with. 

How much does a bird cost to care for? 

Costs for adopting and caring for a bird include the adoption fee, the enclosure, enrichment supplies, feeding and watering bowls and trays, daily care, and vet check-ups. The cost breakdown will vary widely depending on the type of bird you adopt and the adoption fee set by the rescue. 

According to Valleywide Parrot Rescue, the cost breakdown to care for one parrot includes:

• An adoption fee of $20 to $500, depending on the type of bird

• $100 to more than $1,000 for a proper enclosure

• $30 to $50 per month in enrichment supplies

• $20 to $60 per month for food

• $100 to $200 for an annual checkup

• And potentially hundreds to thousands of dollars for illness, injury, or emergency vet care. 

The cost of caring for a parrot over their lifetime — depending on the species, their age at the time of adoption, and their life expectancy — typically ranges from $5,000 to $30,000 or more.

How much does a bird cost to adopt?

The cost to adopt a bird depends on the type of bird and the adoption fees set by the rescue. Larger tropical birds, for instance, tend to have a higher adoption fee than smaller parrots, finches, or doves. 

• $100 to $500 is a common adoption fee for medium to large-sized parrots, although you may find some adoption fees of more than $500 for large parrots who need experienced and knowledgeable guardians. 

• Adoption fees for small parrots are often $30 to $100

• Most finches, doves, and pigeons will cost $20 to $50 in adoption fees.

Where can I adopt a bird? 

You can adopt a bird through reputable animal rescues, at animal shelters, and on pet adoption sites, such as Adopt a Pet. On Adopt a Pet’s platform, you can browse through listings in your area and across the country. When you find a match, you can use the site to connect directly with the animal shelter, rescue, or private pet parent for an application.

Commonly asked questions

Are pet birds hard to take care of?

Yes, pet birds can be hard to take care of and often require more attention, time, and care than you’d expect. Most pet birds have complex social, mental, and physical needs, and some can live for several decades. While it’s certainly possible to responsibly care for a pet bird, it’s important to take all the considerations of what they’ll need and their natural behaviors into account. 

What is the easiest pet bird to take care of?

Doves are some of the easiest pet birds to take care of. They still require daily socializing, enrichment, and exercise, but they are a bit lower maintenance than others, such as large tropical parrots. 

References

Avian Rescue Corporation | Avianrescuecorp.org. (n.d.). www.avianrescuecorp.org.

AWC - Avian Welfare Coalition - issues. (n.d.). www.avianwelfare.org/issues.

Light for Birds: Sunlight vs. Full-Spectrum Bulbs. (n.d.). Best Friends Animal Society - Save Them All. bestfriends.org/pet-care-resources/light-birds-sunlight-vs-full-spectrum-bulbs.

The Real Cost of Owning a Parrot – Valleywide Parrot Rescue. (2023, August 8). valleywideparrotrescue.com/2023/08/08/the-real-cost-of-owning-a-parrot.

Respiratory disease in birds | VCA Animal Hospitals. (n.d.). VCA.vcahospitals.com/know-your-pet/respiratory-disease-in-birds.