Stress and anxiety in companion birds — from canaries to cockatoos — are pervasive problems driven by inappropriate housing, social isolation and inadequate stimulation.
The stress experienced by birds housed in inappropriate conditions is manifested in multiple measurable ways: feather destruction, repetitive vocalisations, stereotypic pacing, aggression, and physical health deterioration. For naturally flocking species kept alone in small cages, social isolation is a profound deprivation — equivalent in welfare terms to solitary confinement in a human. The pet bird trade often fails to disclose the lifelong care commitments required: daily social interaction, flight space, species-appropriate companionship, and veterinary care from an avian specialist.