Thanks for your interest in our blog and the kind words. Neither of the species you mention could withstand NJ winters – they could be let outdoors on warm sunny days if carefully acclimated, but cannot be kept out yearround.

The best outdoor parrot for your area would be the Monk Parrot (Please see Article) which is actually established in the wild in NJ. They do best with a heated shelter attached to the aviary, but are very cold-hardy.

The Aviaries I mentioned are already constructed – you would need to have a shelter build and attached if you planned to keep monk parrots. Aviaries can be custom built as well – in zoos we use aviaries with as much indoor as outdoor space, so that birds can be let outside on nice days, but live indoors most of the winter (NYC and surrounding area). This is a major construction project, however – I can refer you to books with plans if you are interested.

…or you can, as many “bird people” advise, keep birds in the house and construct a small, separate shelter for your allergic partner!

Good luck and please keep me posted.

Best regards, Frank Indiviglio.

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.