Bringing Your Bird Outdoors

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Bird - Travel & Outdoors

Bringing Your Bird Outdoors

The outdoors may seem like a natural setting for your bird, and with her wings clipped, you may feel that the danger of bringing her outdoors is minimal. After all, it would probably bring your bird a lot of pleasure, and the benefits of fresh air and sunshine outweigh a small amount of risk. Of course, each bird is different, and your own situation will dictate the circumstances. If your neighbor has several cats, or you live in a rural area that is full of hawks, you are not going to want to let your pet outdoors.

This is provided her wings are indeed clipped or you keep her in a cage while outside; your bird may be very well trained and behaved, but if anything happens to frighten her, the first response is to flee. Nevertheless, escape is not by any means the greatest danger. If you decide to take your pet outdoors, there are several major hazards you need to be aware of and safeguard against.

Predators

The danger of predators is greater if your bird's wings are clipped. Ironically, the exact reason to clip your bird's wings, to make it safer inside your house, is what works to her disadvantage outside.

Clipping is done to the middle primary and secondary feathers on your bird's wings. This enables your bird to fly short distances of a few feet, but she is not usually able to sustain the altitude it takes to hit glass, mirrors, ceiling fans, or fall into pots of water, and other household dangers. Wing clipping also means that your bird will be unable to escape from predators.

Don't take this to mean that you shouldn't clip your bird's wings. On the contrary, an unclipped bird will be only slightly less handicapped against predators. She will be able to escape from cats and ground animals, but is easy prey for any predatory birds. There is more likelihood of her being spooked and taking flight in a wild attempt to escape if a predatory bird flies overhead. The consequences of this flight reaction can be getting lost, or even being killed by a predator.

The best way to safeguard your bird while she is outside is to attend to her at all times. You will be able to enjoy her company, get some fresh air yourself, and ensure her safety. No predator will attempt an attack with a human in the vicinity, even if your bird looks like an easy catch.

Herbicides, Pesticides and Other Chemicals

There are many different types of chemicals outdoors, and your bird can come into contact with them far easier than if she is inside. Here is a list of just a few of the chemicals that your bird can bump into while outside.

Rat poison
Weedkiller
Slug and snail bait
Ant poison
Fertilizer
Antifreeze
Gasoline
Roach poison
DDT
Kerosene
Turpentine

These chemicals can poison your bird if she has done any of the following things:

Walked over sprayed grass. Do not take your bird outside until a full 12 hours after a chemical has been sprayed on the lawn. Better yet, use an organic or non-toxic weedkiller, so you will have no health concerns for your bird.

Ingested some chemical while preening feathers that got dirty from a spill. If you see your bird get spilled on, do not let her clean her feathers. Take her inside and wash her with warm water and a gentle soap, rinsing several times.

Eaten a pest that has been killed by an insecticide. It is best to simply not use chemical insecticides if you have a bird. The poisoned bug is easy prey for your bird, especially if she is an insectivore by nature. Birds are very vulnerable to chemicals, and you could end up killing your bird as well as the insects. Small bugs like aphids are repelled just as easily by spraying diluted dish liquid on plants.

Drank water tainted with a chemical. Paint cans, turpentine and other toxic products should not be left outside if you let your bird in the yard. Dump any water that has formed on the top in an area your bird will not venture, and store these products in a safe area.

Eaten some of the chemical. Baits for pest killers usually smell and taste sweet, making them just as attractive to your bird as to the pest! Never place any poisoned bait in an area your bird accesses.

Loss

Taking your bird outside increases the risk of her getting lost or stolen. If you are going to allow her outside, it is best to have some form of identification so you can be contacted if she is recovered, or prove she is yours if she is stolen.

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