A lifetime commitment to a bird may be longer than you imagined. For years, bird care was seen as little more than keeping the seed cup full, the water fresh and the cage clean. But as we learn more about birds’ needs and begin to meet those needs, our avian companions are living longer than ever.

Once, avian diets consisted only of seeds. When offered seed mixes, many birds went right to dessert – the sunflower seeds. They quickly packed on the pounds …er, ounces, making birds old and unhealthy before their time. Current avian diet recommendations call for a top quality pelleted food along with small portions of fresh fruits and vegetables, nuts, legumes and some starches in the form of pasta, whole grains, and cooked brown rice, depending on the species, with seeds relegated to treat status. A well-written breed-specific book about your type of bird will give you more specific feeding directions.

Suitable housing is important to bird welfare as well. While the ornate cages of the Victorian era are most decorative, they’re more suitable for plants than birds. Birds need space to flap their wings, glide from perch to perch, and climb all around. Since small birds like finches and canaries are rarely allowed free flight around the home for safety reasons, they also need enough space to fly. Because of their small size, canaries and finches could also be offered free flight in a small, bird safe room, for supervised out-of- cage time. Buy as big a cage as space and resources allow. Keep in mind that bar spacing must be adequate for the size of your bird -- or birds. Here are some guidelines: small birds (canaries – lovebirds) 3/8” – 7/16”, medium birds (cockatiels – small parrots) ½” – ¾”, Large birds (amazons – African greys) ¾” – 1”, and very large birds (cockatoos, macaws) ¾” – 1-1/2” between the bars needed. Caging materials should be very sturdy and free of lead and zinc.

Average Bird Lifespans

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