While our parrots and other companion birds are surely not domesticated, they are accustomed to a certain high-class, upscale, dinner-ready-at-5 lifestyle – not that we’d dare suggest they are spoiled rotten. Some parrots do enjoy watching outdoor animals through the window, from the comfort of their own cages. Wild songbirds fly swiftly and sing beautifully while squirrels scamper along run up and down tree trunks. As far as your parrot knows, they’re watching a nature documentary! If your bird does seem interested in earning a degree in Wildlife Management, you may want to invest in a bird feeder and bird bath for your backyard or front lawn! Here at Bird Cages 4 Less, we have quite an array of beautiful feeders and baths to choose from – sure to delight you, and your parrot.
A good place to start is to know what kinds of songbirds live near you. Here in South Jersey, we see many European Starlings, House Finches and Sparrows, American Robins, Eastern Blue Jays, Northern Cardinals, and quite a few species of Woodpeckers. You may see a different collection of birds near you – but using the Bird Guide tool by the Audubon Society can steer you in the right direction! You’ll want to know what types of birds are in the area so you can choose the correct seed mix to best attract them all to your property. Again, you can rely on the Audubon Society with helpful tips and feeding guides – so read through their informational articles on Backyard Birding.
Once you know which birds are around and what they like to eat, it’s time to choose a feeder. My favorite hanging bird feeder is the Chickadee Silhouette Bird Feeder. With a lightweight and attractive design, this bird feeder is guaranteed to make a statement in your yard. Hung from either a tree branch of a shepherd’s hook feeder stand, this bird feeder will attract many small species of birds to dinner! The metal is painted in a weather-proof finish and comes in three colors to suit your tastes. This is best suited for seeds that are small, like millet or cracked corn. You can view our entire selection of bird feeders here!
Bird baths are particularly valuable to wild birds during the hottest months of summer. In many areas of the world, these months can also bring periods of drought and in Suburbia and beyond, that means a lack of drinking and bathing water. Providing a shallow bird bath will ensure birds come back, and they may even bring their friends. Keep your feeders clean and full, and your bath sparkling, and you’ll have the most frequented house on the block! A pedestal type bath like the Butterfly Birdbath is an elegant and functional way to do this. The shallow depth of the bath ensures that young or differently-abled birds won’t slip and become trapped, while the large circular shape ensures that there is enough water for multiple birds per visit. Painted in a safe, weather-proof finish, this bird bath will remain attractive for years to come. You can view our entire selection of bird baths here!
You’ll want to place your bird feeders near the window so that you and your parrot may observe the comings and goings of the outdoor birds. Weather permitting, open the window (leaving the screen closed) to allow your parrot to call out and hear the replies from his new friends! If you do use a shepherd’s hook to hang your feeder, make sure it is a reasonable distance from any glass window or doors to ensure the wild birds won’t fly into the window panes and injure themselves. You may find that your parrot will position himself within his cage to get a good look at the feeder during particularly busy times for the latest episode of Real House Finch Wives. Provide a comfy perch and a snack or toy nearby for maximum “reality TV” enjoyment!
Do you feed the outside birds near you? We’d love to see pictures of your feeders, and your parrots enjoying the view, in the comments below! Have your birds ever befriended a wild bird? I’ve had parrots over the years who loved to talk to the wild birds, and some would even call them to come closer. A Sun conure, Ned, had a Blue Jay pal in the neighborhood who would fly past the window as they called back and forth to each other. A Meyer’s parrot, Buckbeak, would often scream to the robins who nested in the tree outside my window – they never responded to his calls. Keep checking in with us here all year long for more tips to keep your companion parrots healthy and happy!
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