Thoughts on mixed-species aviaries

The consensus about mixed species aviaries includes one or more of the following:

• Don’t ever do it under any circumstances

• Don’t mix species unless they are of similar size

• Don’t mix species from different continents

• Don’t mix softbills in with parrots

I’ve done the first three and have no experience with the last but it seems reasonable.

My species

At the height of my mixed species aviary, I had the following birds:

• Red-rumped parrots

• Cockatiels

• Turquoise parrots (neophema)

• Elegant parrots (neophema)

• Splendid parrots (neophema)

• Rosellas

• Budgies

• Bourke’s Parrots

• Canary-winged parakeet (South American)

• Rainbow Lory

So, that’s 9 species from 7 genuses, with all but one from Australia. So, almost all from one continent. It wasn’t all roses.

The Rosella liked to chase the grass parrots around, but gave up quickly and didn’t show outright aggressiveness. The red-rumped parrots were VERY territorial, but not aggressive.

Space

I’ll start by saying that much of this isn’t new, but some of it is, and some of it I …