So you want to keep an aviary?  Where?  How big?  Made out of what?  Do you want natural landscaping or faux landscaping?  How much time are you going to dedicate to it?  How much time can you realistically dedicate to it?  How much money to spend on it?  Who is going to live in it?  What are their needs?  Did you pick the right inhabitant?  Can you care for it?  Will it have enough room to live in the aviary that you want it to?  Is it legal to have?  Do you love it, or is this just a whim?

Keeping an aviary can be one of the most rewarding activities that you can engage in or it can be a chore after the “New” wears off.  The chosen or accidentally acquired bird may not really be what you wanted or may be more “work” than you anticipated. Can you live with that situation?  What do you do if you can’t?

When planning to start an aviary, a lot of thought and research must go into it!  Any animal you acquire is a responsibility that cannot be ignored or taken half-heartedly.  Domesticated animals rely on their human companions for their well-being and react quickly to neglect and abuse.  Interestingly enough, children seem to be forgiven by animals whereas adults seem to permanently scar or damage relationships for a long time.  That does not mean an animal will not shy away from children, just that they are more forgiving of children…usually!

Aviaries also attract pests and predators.  I currently have a seven foot long gopher snake that was making snacks out of my quail.  The quail are in impenetrable cages…or so I thought.  This can be discouraging to say the least.  I had to redo doors on cages and rethink the impenetrability of the enclosures.  The gopher snake has a lot of food on site as there are numerous chicken eggs available, but the lure of chasing prey is a natural instinct in them.  Here in Arizona, rattlesnakes are common and small birds are a food source for them also.  That makes the gopher snake on site, a blessing, as they prey on rattlesnakes.  It’s just not welcome to snack on my birds.

The gopher snake also eats rodents.  Bird food attracts a variety of rodents and this is another item to consider in designing and aviary.  Mice are next to impossible to keep out of aviaries and cages and they do not listen to what you say to them when you tell them to go, like most children.

But don’t despair, keeping an aviary is rewarding, exciting, fun and worth every minute and every dollar, euro, yen, or peso that you spend on it.

It is exciting to have a pair start laying eggs and then to have them hatch.  That is when the real fun starts.  Depending on the birds that you have you may need to assist in the feeding of the chicks as the parents may not.  This will develop bonding between you and the chicks.  It it’s a very rewarding experience to have a chick want to cuddle in your hand then go to sleep, secure in the warmth enveloping it.  Currently, I have over 60 quail chicks under 6 weeks old. I am a small breeder compared to many you will read about. The daily hatching still creates excitement in me as I transfer the new chicks to the brooder.  In my aviary I have a few Pheasant as well.  My son and I catch and hold them and it is very enjoyable to us to have them relax and fall asleep cradled in our arms. All this said and done, when it comes down to it, keeping and aviary is well worth the effort.  It can be equally rewarding financially as well.  Commercial aviaries are found throughout the world containing all kinds of birds, some for food and some for pleasure. 

So the next time you visit a large Aviary or the aviaries in a Zoo or animal park, consider the work that goes into such large endeavor.  The keepers do appreciate positive comments, these are their babies too!

If you are considering an aviary, or even just one bird as a pet, take some time to talk to others about it. Find other people who have the same type of bird you are considering and get the details on care, maintenance, life longevity, and financial commitment BEFORE getting that special bird (or birds). Consider your home situation, area available, landlord, home owner’s association, family dynamics, and city or state ordinances regarding multiple animals on a property or the type of animals allowed. DO YOUR RESEARCH! Proper research will lead you and the people in your life to a rewarding experience and help you avoid many pitfalls. There will always be surprises along the way, but you can reduce them by taking these things into consideration.

For example, cared for properly, parrots will often outlive their owners if the individual is in their late teens. This means it’s a lifetime pet and you need to have a younger family member or friend that is as in love with them as you are that is willing to inherit it. How many people can realistically say that? Not as many as own them - the rescue shelters have the birds to prove it.

Hopefully this will help start you on your way to a happy aviary experience. Look for more helpful articles to come in Aviary 101!