Positioning a Pet Bird Aviary
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Siting an aviary will require careful thought as there is nothing more annoying than having to move an aviary after it has been built.
If you are designing a new garden, build in the aviary requirements at a very early stage, taking into account servicing and expansion. Remember to choose a site with plenty of room to accommodate a back shelter. Even if you do not build it straight away, you may decide to add one later.
Discover the most common wind direction and then site your aviary so that it faces in the opposite direction, preferably so that it receives as much sunshine as possible. Sunshine and light are essential for your birds’ well-being, not only because the birds enjoy sunbathing, but also because the ultraviolet rays in strong sunshine help to kill bacteria.
If you build your aviary in the summer, remember to take into account the typical winter weather conditions. For example, do not build your aviary in a dip in your garden, where it is likely to become flooded during the winter or act as a frost pocket. Placing your aviary underneath a tree may seem a good idea as it should provide shelter, but such a position is more likely to be dark and damp. The trees block out the sunshine, the dampness will produce a multitude of bacteria and after a heavy storm, the aviary will take much longer to dry out. There is also the risk that branches from the trees will damage the aviary and birds. However, carefully planted trees and shrubs can improve the appearance around the aviary and provide extra privacy, which may encourage the birds to breed successfully.
If possible, build your aviary within view of your house. Not only will this add to the enjoyment of keeping birds, but it will also enable you to see at one quick glance if something is wrong. However, take into consideration the amount of noise that the birds can make. For example, parrots, parakeets and conures may prove very entertaining for the first couple of days, but after a few weeks you will become extremely irritated, especially with their dawn chorus. If you are planning to keep noisy birds, do not build the aviary too close to your house or, for that matter, to your neighbour’s house. To avoid stressing your birds, do not build the aviary close to a road or a dog kennel. If you already keep a pet dog, you may find that your birds become used to it, but try to keep them apart, as the dog is likely to put your birds off breeding.
The aviary should also be easily accessible from the house to enable you to feed the birds and carry out regular maintenance. This may involve transporting tools and a wheelbarrow, so construct a path to your aviary to keep the rest of your garden looking presentable.
An important point to bear in mind is security. Parrot species, for example, are very expensive and, unfortunately, fairly easy to sell on the black market, so it is safer to keep them reasonably close to the house. If the area is guarded by alarms, so much the better. (Alarms will disturb your birds if they go off, but better that than losing your birds!) Guard dogs are also a good idea, but be sure to keep them away from your birds; otherwise, you will never breed them. Automatic lights are another simple security idea. They are relatively inexpensive, easy to fit and a good deterrent against both burglars and other predators, such as cats and foxes. They also provide an excellent light when you check your birds in the evening.
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Tags: Appearance, Bacteria, Bird Aviary, Birds, Conures, Couple Of Days, Dampness, Frost Pocket, Glance, Multitude, Parakeets, Parrots, Pet Bird, Plenty Of Room, Positioning a Pet Bird Aviary, Sunshine And Light, Trees And Shrubs, Typical Winter, Ultraviolet Rays, Wind Direction, Winter Weather Conditions