Outdoor Aviaries: Their Role in Promoting Breeding, Good Health and New Behaviors
Hello, Frank Indiviglio here.
Today I'd like to introduce a new option offered to serious aviculturists by That Pet Place - Outdoor Aviaries . Early in my zoo career I noticed the vast differences in appearance and behavior between the birds I kept indoors and wild individuals of the same species. At first I wrote this off to diet and exercise, but I soon noted that birds kept in outdoor exhibits, even for part of the year, were also more colorful and vigorous, and bred more regularly, than did those kept indoors. You may note that in many of my articles I urge the use of large outdoor enclosures when possible...this strategy has worked well for me in zoos and at home.
Benefits for Your Birds
Our outdoor aviaries allow you to provide your pets with the well-documented benefits of fresh air, sunshine, exposure to natural light and weather cycles and an influx of nutritious insect food. Available in 5 sizes ranging 3.5 x 4 feet to 9 x 5 feet, they are the ultimate warm weather or permanent homes for a wide variety of species.
Benefits for You
You will reap benefits as well, for your pets will no doubt reveal an astounding range of new behaviors once released into a large, outdoor aviary. Many of my most memorable observations were garnered in front of outdoor bird exhibits in zoos and my own backyard aviary (which was home, at various times, to injured kestrels, crows, saw-whet owls, mourning doves and those "bird-wannabees", flying squirrels).
Further Reading
For information on a charming species that makes an ideal introduction to outdoor bird keeping, please see my article on The Care and Natural History of the Chinese Painted or Button Quail.
Next time I'll cover some of the many situations in which outdoor aviaries are useful, and mention birds that do especially well in them. Please write in with your questions and comments. Thanks, until next time, Frank Indiviglio.
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May 21st, 2009 at 11:58 pm
Hi Frank, I have written before about ring necked doves, thanks for your advice. I want to give my doves more room as you suggested and like the idea of the outdoor aviary. What would be the smallest size for a pair of doves? They have not nested this year but might if I gave them more room. Thanks.
May 22nd, 2009 at 10:41 am
Hello, Frank Indiviglio here.
Thanks for your interest and kind comment, ‘m glad to hear that the information was useful to you.
Our smallest Outdoor Aviary measures just over 5 feet square, and is a bit more than 6 feet in height; it would be ideal for a breeding pair of ring-necked doves, or a small non-breeding group. Extra space and a move outdoors does, as you suggest, often stimulate reproduction.
Breeding is always easier if the pair is housed alone, but ring necks are pretty resilient once they settle down. You could likely add other birds, including various finches or a pair of painted quail…please write back if you’d like to discuss that possibility further.
Good luck, enjoy and please keep me posted,
Best regards, Frank Indiviglio.