Aviary safe from predators?

[Kathleen]

How do you keep your outdoor aviary safe from predators? (neighbor's pets, stray cats & dogs, and other wild animals) I've heard the story of an aviary/outdoor cage not being set up properly, and a cat ripping off a budgie's wing as a result.

[Michael]

That wasn't an aviary! That was a very irresponsible owner abandoning the bird outside in a thin wire cage!

[Natacha]

I don't have an aviary (yet) but my mom did have her backyard patio redone to be bird friendly (aka not have them fly away). It's now bigger and enclosed. However, the birds aren't out without supervision so my parents would be able to shoo away any possible predators, not that there are many of them where they are except maybe neighbourhood cats who don't really venture on my parents' property.

[Kathleen]

It seems better to have cages inside and a temporary aviary to spend time in outside. Then you don't have to worry so much about weather and predators. For those who always keep the birds outside though, I just wonder how they do it.

[Mona]

Good question and there are many things that you can do.

My backyard aviary has trees in it so the birds can hide in the trees. It is also quite large (16 feet X 7 feet X 7 feet I think). Eb Cravens counseled me to let the trees grow through the top so that it the branches provide cover in the event of a hawk attack.

I do not keep food in the aviary. I do not want to attract predators. I also use very small wire. I think it's 1 inch by 1/2 inch. Raccoons are DEFINITELY a big worry because they will reach into the bars and grab birds. They use the animal's innate curiousity to lure them close enough to grab.

I encourage my birds to be predator savvy. I want them to be nervous around cats, dogs and any thing that would be a predator. This way, they will be more likely to fly away from a threat rather than come close to investigate it. They are all flighted.

Finally, my birds are only out when I'm home with time to keep an eye on them. Raccoons do visit during the day so I watch. I don't think they can get in but I just never under-estimate what a raccoon can do.

Some people bury the wire under the aviary about a foot or so. This way burrowing animals cannot dig under. Some people also double wire their aviaries. This way a predator cannot reach in. Since mine are not outside unless they are supervised, I have not gone quite to those lengths.

I am a HUGE believer in fresh air and good sun for health.

[greatgriffin]

I have a relatively large cage that I keep on the 1st floor balcony. It is not quite an "aviary" but it does allow the bird to fly a couple of flaps back and forth. She normally spends the whole day outside in the cage while we are not at home.
The cage has wheels so in case of extreme weather (storms or cold winter days) I can drag it inside into the living room.
It seems to be a good compromise, given the fact that the birds gets to be free in the living room twice a day and get adequate exercise.

I also have a smaller cage where I tuck her in for the night, or to carry about.

Of course the ideal thing would be a huge garden aviary, I hope once I'll get to the point where I can build one. I have already thought about this, and to support Mona's points, predators are something I could not really find a good way to solve. If I added too many wires I would not see the birds. If the wires were too weak or loose predators could get in. Quite a conondrum.