Birds are intelligent, social and long-lived — their needs go well beyond just food and a cage.
Choose the largest cage you can fit, with horizontal bars for climbing species like parrots. Birds need room to fully spread and flap their wings without touching the sides.
A pellet-based diet supplemented with fresh vegetables and limited fruit is healthier than a seed-only diet, which is often too high in fat. Avoid avocado, chocolate and caffeine — all toxic to birds.
Birds are highly intelligent and prone to boredom. Rotate toys regularly, provide foraging opportunities, and spend daily one-on-one time with social species like conures and parrots.