FAQ: Carriers & Crates for birds

In a smaller travel carrier the bird flaps around less, does not crash into the walls and is less likely to get hurt. A large home cage with swinging perches and toys becomes dangerous on the move, and it cannot be secured safely in a car.

It depends on the airline's rules: some allow small birds in the cabin, others only in the hold, and some do not carry birds at all. Check the rules, carrier and document requirements in advance and book the bird's place together with your ticket.

Most often for vet visits, moving house, going on holiday or leaving the bird with a sitter. It is worth having one at home in advance, because an urgent vet trip or evacuation can come up unexpectedly.

No, even a tame bird can be startled outdoors by a noise or a dog and fly off in a second. A lost bird is very hard to find, so outside the home always carry it in a closed travel carrier.

The most common are plastic carriers with a wire door, small metal travel cages, clear acrylic backpacks and soft fabric carrying bags. They differ in sturdiness, visibility, ventilation and how easy they are to clean.

A plastic carrier is more enclosed, so the bird feels safer, sees less of its surroundings and scatters fewer husks, while a metal travel cage is better ventilated and easier to fit with perches and cups. A carrier often suits short trips and nervous birds, a travel cage longer journeys.

A clear backpack is comfortable to carry and lets you see the bird, but not every bird likes seeing everything around it, and some nervous birds find it frightening. Choose one with enough ventilation, an inside perch and a secure latch, and on a hot day keep it out of the sun, because acrylic heats up quickly.

Fabric bags are light, but most parrots can tear the mesh or fabric with their beak and get hurt or escape. They may only suit a very short trip with a small, calm bird under supervision, while stronger beaks need hard plastic or metal.

A cardboard box with ventilation holes is only a temporary solution for a very short distance, for example when you find an injured bird. A parrot can chew through cardboard in minutes and a damp box loses its strength, so regular trips need a proper carrier.

Often it can, as long as the door bars and ventilation holes are narrow enough that the bird cannot push its head through and the door closes securely. You will still need to fit a perch or lay a non-slip base inside, because a bird is uncomfortable standing on smooth plastic for long.

A budgie needs only a small carrier where it can sit comfortably on a perch, spread its wings and turn around without its tail touching the floor. In too much space it will flap around during the trip and may get hurt, so more room is not better here.

Canaries and finches suit small travel cages with narrow bar spacing, because these birds are tiny and can squeeze through ordinary gaps. Calm matters a lot to them, so it helps to cover part of the carrier so the birds do not flutter during the trip.

A cockatiel needs a taller carrier because of its long tail and crest: the perch should be high enough that the tail does not touch the floor and the crest does not touch the roof. Cockatiels startle easily and start flapping, so the carrier should not be too roomy either.

Lovebirds suit a small but sturdy carrier or plastic box, because their beaks are strong and they like to chew thin plastic parts and door edges. When carrying a pair, the carrier should let both birds fit on the perch without jostling.

Medium parrots need a sturdy box or metal cage with thicker bars and a latch the bird cannot open with its beak. African greys are often sensitive to stress, so a more enclosed carrier with a perch height that lets them sit freely suits them.

Large parrots need a very sturdy metal cage or thick-walled box with a metal door and a secure latch, because their beaks easily break thin plastic. The bird must be able to stand upright on the perch, and its long tail should not press against the floor or a wall.

Pigeons and poultry are carried in special ventilated crates or baskets where the bird can stand but has no room to flap. Each bird needs enough floor space so they do not crowd each other, and in hot weather especially good ventilation.

The bar spacing must be narrow enough that the bird cannot push its head through: small birds such as finches and canaries need the narrowest gaps, while large parrots need wider spacing but thick bars. A head stuck between bars can lead to a serious injury.

Parrots quickly learn to slide simple latches, so choose a lock that has to be pressed or turned, or add a carabiner clip to the door. Before every trip check that the door does not rattle and there is no gap between it and the frame.

A top door or a large front door makes putting the bird in and taking it out much easier, especially at the vet's, where the bird needs to be handled gently and quickly. Sometimes it is handy if the top can be removed completely, but every opening must close securely.