Companion birds have evolved to fly, yet most are kept in cages that prevent this fundamental behavior. The welfare implications of flight restriction and how to mitigate them are important for all bird owners.
Keeping a bird in a cage too small to fly is keeping an animal in a condition fundamentally incompatible with its evolved nature. Flight is not peripheral to a bird's life — it is central to how birds experience, navigate, and interact with their world. The welfare costs of chronic flight restriction include physical deconditioning, psychological distress, and the frustration of an instinct that has no outlet. Responsible bird ownership means providing either large aviaries with genuine flight space or carefully managed daily free-flight time in a safe room. This is achievable for most owners and makes a profound difference to the birds in their care.