The worst thing that can happen to your bird is for her to get outside. If your bird's wings are clipped, she will not be able to escape from predators, especially those that fly. If her wings are unclipped, she will get frightened, lost and probably starve to death. Most pet birds can't take care of themselves in the wild, especially if they are breeds not native to their living area, which is most often the case.

Ideally, you should never open any doors or windows unless your bird is safely inside her cage. But if your bird is used to flying freely about your house and you have to step outside, you may not have time to find your bird, lure her to you and put her back inside her cage. If you need to open up a door or window, keep your back to the door and a careful eye on your bird. If she decides to make a break for it, you will need to act more swiftly than she can fly or else you run the risk of slamming the door on the delicate wings of your bird.

Doors

The peak hazard time of escape for your bird will be during the summer when you will want to have the door open and more people will be coming and going in the house. There are ways to lessen your pet's chance of escape. If you don't already have them, get screen doors installed. Make sure these doors slam shut, as some tend to stick and stay slightly opened. Always check the latches and locking mechanisms to make sure they work. A large bird can push a screen door open or pull it open if she learns how.

Screen doors will not only greatly reduce your bird's chance of escape, they will also keep flies and bugs out of the house, which can be toxic to your bird if she eats one that has been sprayed with pesticide.

Windows

During the summer you will not want to have your house get stuffy from the windows being closed all the time. This is also not good for your bird's health. Remember, in nature she spends all her time out in the fresh air.

To keep your windows safe, buy and install screens if you do not already have them on your windows. Tightly fitted screens will prevent your bird from escaping and stop any stray cats from wandering into your home and harming your bird. Make sure the screens are properly attached. If your bird is large, she could pull the screen off with her talons and if she is small, she may slip through the gap in between the screen and the window.

The screens should be new, so there is no rust on them. Rust can be toxic to your bird if she ingests any while climbing the screen. Also, check for any cuts or holes in the screen. Your bird could try to escape through these and may cut herself on the jagged wire.

Your bird may try to escape for some fresh air during the summer, especially if she is from a tropical habitat. She will want to enjoy the warmth of the sun whenever possible and who can blame her? You can limit the number of breakaway attempts by taking your bird outside for supervised sessions of sun and fun. The key here is supervision. Never leave your bird alone outside, but do provide her with some outdoor time. Your bird will thank you for the fresh air and you will enjoy watching how happy this makes her.