An aviary is a spacious, enclosed habitat that provides birds with the freedom to fly and explore, offering a more natural environment than a traditional cage. This guide is designed to help you create the perfect aviary setup, ensuring your feathered friends have a comfortable, enriching home where they can thrive and display their natural behaviours.
Choosing Birds For Your Aviary
When choosing birds for your aviary, it’s important to consider species that will thrive in your environment and fit your lifestyle. Some key factors include the breed’s size, temperament, noise levels and social needs.
If you’re a first-time bird owner, smaller, low-maintenance species like budgies or canaries may be ideal. These birds are friendly, relatively easy to care for, and popular among Australian pet owners.
For larger aviaries, parrots such as cockatiels or lorikeets are great options. They’re intelligent and interactive, making them engaging pets. However, they require more time for socialization and mental stimulation.
It’s also essential to ensure that the species you choose are compatible if you’re planning a mixed aviary.
When deciding on age, younger birds are easier to train and adapt well to new environments. Gender can also play a role: males often have brighter colours and stronger vocalisations, while females can be quieter.
It’s important to research specific species to determine what best suits your needs.
Choosing the Right Bird Cage
Choosing the right cage or aviary for your birds depends on whether you’ll be keeping them indoors or outdoors.
For indoor setups, smaller cages are often sufficient, especially for smaller species like budgies or finches. Here at Coops and Cages, we offer quality small indoor bird cages that are designed for comfort, safety, and easy maintenance. A good indoor cage should have ample space for your birds to move, perches for resting, and easy access to food and water stations.
Outdoor aviaries, on the other hand, are much larger and designed to give birds room to fly and explore. These structures are typically made from sturdier materials to withstand the elements and may include features like weatherproofing, secure locks and predator-proof mesh. We don’t sell outdoor aviaries, so do your research to find the best setup for your birds’ well-being and happiness.
Essential Accessories
To set up a stimulating and comfortable environment for your birds, it’s important to include essential accessories in your aviary.
Start with perches of varying sizes and materials to promote foot health and natural behaviour. Add swings, ladders, and ropes to encourage physical activity and provide mental stimulation. Toys are crucial for keeping birds entertained—opt for chewable toys, bells or puzzle feeders to engage their curiosity.
Nesting boxes are a must if your birds are breeding or need a quiet space to retreat. Ensure there are food and water stations that are easy to access and clean. Foraging toys that hide treats are also excellent for encouraging natural hunting behaviours, helping to keep birds active and happy.
The Right Location
Choosing the right location for your aviary is crucial to your birds’ health and comfort.
If you’re keeping your birds indoors, place the aviary in a quiet, low-traffic area with good ventilation and natural light. Avoid areas near kitchens or windows where sudden drafts, fumes or direct sunlight can be harmful.
For outdoor aviaries, weather conditions are a key consideration. Ensure your aviary is placed in a sheltered spot with access to both sunlight and shade. Birds need sun for warmth and health but must also have shaded areas to cool off, especially during hot Australian summers. Protect the aviary from strong winds and rain by positioning it near a wall or under a roof.
Proper planning will help create a safe, balanced environment for your birds.
Thanks for sharing this basic guide to setting up our own aviary, I am very happy that I have found this during my search.
You’re welcome. Glad to hear that! 🙂
Hi Jordan! I have a 8×8 outdoor aviary, I was wondering how far apart should I install the perches? Also, I’ve cut a branch off one of my trees to give my parakeets something to hang out on, I don’t know what type of tree it is but are there any types of wood that could hurt them if they digest it.? Thank you for your help! Dermot Carroll
Brilliant, I am planning an outdoor aviary. Wood or steel the best? George
would finches need heating if we made aviary in shed?
Hi, Bob. Perhaps that depends on the situation. 🙂
Hi , could you tell me what is best flooring material for an outdoor aviary?
I am going to use a piece of rubber roofing on the floor of my indoor aviary and I was considering using bagged mulch either cedar or cypress is that a good choice for my floor the room is about 1o x 12 with a 9 foot cathedral ceiling I have a female eclectus and a mealy Amazon and I wanted to add either budges or finches does that sound like a good plan
I have a small aviary,Iwould like to breed some budgies how many nests and how to install them in the aviary