FAQ: Cages for birds

The roomier the better — the bird should be able to spread its wings and hop between perches freely. Width usually matters more than height, as most birds fly horizontally.

Spacing that is too wide can be dangerous for a small bird: it can push its head through and get stuck, or escape. Manufacturers usually state which species a cage suits, so compare the spacing with the size of your bird.

For one or two budgies a cage at least 60–80 cm wide is often recommended, so they can make short flights between perches. The more time the birds spend in the cage, the roomier it should be.

A cockatiel has a long tail and bigger wings than a budgie, so it needs a cage about 80 cm wide or more and tall enough that its tail does not touch the floor when perching. A pair of cockatiels needs even more room.

Canaries fly a lot and rarely climb, so cage length matters most for them — at least 50–60 cm is often recommended, and more is better. A tall but narrow cage suits a canary less than a lower, longer one.

Finches are small but very active and are kept in pairs or groups, so they need a long cage they can fly in. The more birds, the longer the cage should be, and a larger group suits an aviary.

Lovebirds are active and usually kept in pairs, so a cage at least 80 cm wide with room for toys and several perches suits them. In a small cage they become irritable or bored more quickly.

An African grey or a parrot of similar size needs a sturdy cage where it can fully spread its wings and turn round without its tail or wings touching the bars. Such a parrot also needs time out of the cage every day.

Macaws and large cockatoos are very big, strong birds, so they need particularly spacious, heavy cages or aviaries with thick bars. An ordinary indoor cage is often too small for them, so long daily time out of the cage is essential.

Rosellas fly a lot and climb less than other parrots, so a long cage or aviary suits them better than a tall one. In a small cage they cannot move around enough.

Two birds need not only more floor space but also more perches, feeders and places where they can keep apart. The usual advice is a cage at least one and a half times the size you would choose for one bird.

Usually not — a bird moves more in a roomier cage. The thing to watch is bar spacing: large cages are often made for bigger birds, so their bars may be too far apart for a small bird.

Height matters for climbing parrots and long-tailed species, so the tail does not touch the floor and perches fit at several levels. For most birds, though, width and length matter more, as they fly horizontally.

Even if a bird flies around the room every day, it spends the night and part of the day in its cage, so the cage still needs to be roomy enough. A small cage only suits temporary use, such as travel or quarantine.

Pet pigeons usually need a loft or large aviary they can fly in rather than a cage. An indoor cage only suits a pigeon temporarily, for example for transport or recovery after an injury.

Quail mostly walk on the ground, so a large floor area matters more than height for them. A low cage with a softer top helps prevent head injuries when startled quail suddenly jump up.

Bar spacing of about 1–1.2 cm is usually recommended for budgies. With wider gaps the bird can push its head through and get stuck, so check the spacing before buying a cage made for larger parrots.

Canaries and finches need narrow spacing of about 1 cm or less. Finches are very small, so in a cage with bars too far apart they can slip out.

Bar spacing of about 1.2–1.6 cm usually suits cockatiels. It lets them climb comfortably without being able to push their heads through, while narrower spacing generally does a cockatiel no harm.

Large parrots such as African greys or macaws need wider spacing of about 2–3.5 cm depending on species, and much thicker bars that the parrot cannot bend. Check the exact spacing against the species the manufacturer lists.