Will lovebirds return to their aviary if set free?

[Wolf]

Perhaps more important than the apparent rejection to your idea would be the reasons for the apparent rejection. I think that the majority of it may have been due to the idea of using captive bred and raised birds that were never taught the things that they need to know to survive and flourish in the wild and possibly the location as I don't think that they could survive the winters that far north without an enclosed and heated aviary.

[Shenron]

Perhaps more important than the apparent rejection to your idea would be the reasons for the apparent rejection. I think that the majority of it may have been due to the idea of using captive bred and raised birds that were never taught the things that they need to know to survive and flourish in the wild and possibly the location as I don't think that they could survive the winters that far north without an enclosed and heated aviary.

The aviary consists of two parts, one indoors in a stable, which is heated in the winter, and an outdoors part, so that isn't a problem.

[Pajarita]

I really don't think that you can compare keeping birds outside in Thailand with doing it in Denmark or any other country where the winters are harsh... But, aside from this, the truth is that, if you have 200 of them, you don't really know if you are losing 1 or 10 on a daily basis because you can't count them. I had a flock of between 30 and 40 for years (but it stayed at 34 for several in a row) free flying in my birdroom and I had a heck of a time counting them both in the morning and the evening to the point that I had to do it when it was deep, deep twilight and they are roosting because as they all look the same for afar and fly all over, you don't know if you are counting right or not. It would be completely impossible to do with 200 so, yes, the guy has a large flock that comes in an out of the aviary but, in reality, he can't possibly know if they are all coming back. But, if they do get lost, they can survive in Thailand whereas they would die overnight in Denmark during the winter.

Personally, I love my birds too much to risk doing something like that.

[Saerphe]

I think the question to be asked is, what is your motivation for wanting to let your flock free-fly outside of their aviary? Going by your original post, it doesn't sound like this was something you really wanted to do that much before the birds escaped.

I've met a lot of people in pet stores who believe it's morally wrong to keep birds in cages and express the desire to set the birds free (even though we live in Canada, which isn't the friendliest climate for tropical birds, and companion birds bred in captivity have no survival skills to begin with). For most of us who take care of and love our birds so deeply, cages, bird rooms, and aviaries aren't treated as prisons for our birds - they're treated like our birds' bedrooms or houses: a safe retreat where they can play, and eat, and sleep as they please - and spend most of their time out with us. Akimi spends almost all of her time outside of her cage when I'm home, and even though she can fly, she chooses not to most of the time 'cause she's a lazy bum.

The point I think I'm trying to make is, is that for all the freedom you can potentially give your birds by letting them free fly outside on their own, you also have to face the fact that letting them have that kind of freedom will likely cost your birds their lives. They are not wild birds. They don't know how to avoid predators or cars or cruel people. They don't know how to tell which plants are poisonous and shouldn't be eaten or chewed. They can easily contract diseases from wild birds and other animals. Even if they know to return to their aviary for water and food, if they wander too far and can't find their way back they might well die of starvation or dehydration - which are terrible ways to die and cause a lot of unnecessary suffering for an animal that would otherwise be well cared for.

You also have to consider that if they defy the odds and thrive flying outside, you could well end up unintentionally introducing an invasive species that could do incalculable damage to local ecosystems, and force native wildlife out of their niches.

For most of us who are very close to our birds and concerned for their well being, the thought of our beloved companions suffering any of these terrible fates because we wanted to let them fly free in our yard is devastating. This is the reason why you've found so many people on here who are against the idea. It might offer our birds more freedom to let them free-fly outside, but for us the cost of giving them that freedom is much higher than any of us are willing to pay.

[shiraartain]

You asked about other birds, not parrots specifically, so I will give you an example of where it went awry.

My mother's family rescued a myna who flew off one day and returned throughout the years erratically (this is in Pakistan, in a region where there is no snow). Stopped showing up....then showed up with string tied around his neck and looking emaciated. They cared for it and it flew off again, returned a few times, and never came back again.

This is a WILD animal, with all the instincts to survive...its downfall was its trust on humans, because not everyone has the best intentions towards animals. Even when the circumstances allow for the animals survival, trusting in humans won't always work. Who is to say passerby won't lure your birds and leave with them if word gets out?

I agree with everyone else in that it would probably be a death sentence for the birds, but even if you did manage to establish them in your area, they could potentially damage your local ecosystem. This could occur through competition for resources and driving other animals out of their niches through some other method entirely. There are too many risky factors involved.

[felix11]

This is something which really interests me, and I've researched it quite a bit. Keeping small birds freely HAS been done before. ALOT. Like someone said, it's more common in Thailand. But it's also been done in colder climates, like Britain. Around the turn of the last century, the Duke of Bedford kept a large flock of budgerigars. The queen also had a free-flying flock of budgerigars, I don't think she does anymore. There are also people in Europe today who keep free flocks of finches. You can youtube it.

The problem isn't really if the birds will come back (if you feed them in the aviary, they almost certainly will), the problem is that they WILL get culled by hawks. Also, during breeding season, the birds may choose to lay eggs somewhere outside of the aviary, which I imagine could be stressful and dangerous for the babies. There is a method to this though. Research it properly, and release slowly. If the birds don't know how to fly, and don't have a reason to stay near the aviary, they wont.

You have to weigh up the pros and cons - you will lose some to predators. But they'll live in perfect freedom, with the choice to come home if they want to. Is it worth the risk, given your environment? What would THEY choose?

[Pajarita]

With all due respect, I would not use Indonesia or Thailand for examples of responsible husbandry as they are known worldwide for terrible animal practices. I am not saying everybody in these two countries is cruel to animals but their cultures consider animals nothing but a commodity.

[felix11]

Pajarita, yes, of course parts of Asia have animal husbandry practices that the West sees as outdated and cruel. Perhaps most notably, China's general philosophical approach to birds and other animals is very different to ours in the West.

This doesn't prevent highly informed individuals (and entire subcultures) from existing in Asian countries. In Thailand, there is an enormous free-flying bird movement emerging, popular with young people. These are people who own highly trained parrots and pour a lot of time and energy into keeping them happy. Perhaps this movement has gained popularity in Thailand first because it's a heavily Buddhist country, which promotes non-violence and compassion.

Suggesting that one should dismiss ALL animal practices from Indonesia and Thailand is a little prejudiced. Remember, the West isn't morally pure: extreme violence against animals is very common here, too. Beef, anyone? Chicken farming? Parrot farming? These horrors don't prevent individuals like you from being exceptional animal carers. Good and Bad often coexist.