How Do I Keep My Bird Cool In The Summer

Do birds feel hot in the summer?

Birds aren't big fans of extreme temperatures. Many species take off on epic migrations to dodge harsh weather, while those lucky enough to live near the equator enjoy the comfort of temperate climates year-round.

Our pet birds can get overheated. But unlike us, they can’t just take off a layer or grab a cold drink. It’s important to watch your bird’s body language. If your parrot starts panting, holding its wings away from its body, or looking restless, it’s a sign they’re too hot.

Parrots come from tropical forests where it’s warm and humid, with temperatures between 81°F and 86°F. These conditions are very different from a hot, dry summer day. If your bird is used to air conditioning and suddenly goes outside on a hot day, they might get sick or even suffer from heat stroke.

During summer heatwaves, the environment can become drastically different from your bird’s natural habitat. That’s why it’s essential to learn how to care for your parrot in the summer.

How do I keep my bird cool in the summer?

In the wild, birds have clever ways to cool themselves down during the heat of the day. Here are some natural methods they use:

• Rapid Respiration: They breathe quickly, which looks like panting.
• Perching in the Shade: Wild birds find shady spots and sometimes soar to higher altitudes where it’s cooler.
• Bathing: Taking a dip helps them cool off.
• Fluffing Feathers: They spread their feathers to release trapped heat.
• Perching High: They find spots high in trees where there’s gentle air movement.
• Opening Wings: They slightly open their wings to let the air circulate better.

For our domestic birds, who aren’t as adapted to extreme temperatures, sudden temperature changes, like going from an air-conditioned home to a hot summer day, can be stressful and dangerous for them.

Here’s how you can safely give your bird essential sunshine while keeping them cool:

• Provide Shade: Always have a shady spot available for your bird.
• Fresh Water: Keep plenty of fresh, cool water for drinking and bathing.
• Misting and Bathing: Regularly mist your bird or let them enjoy a shallow bath.
• Safe Air Circulation: Use fans to create a breeze but avoid direct drafts.

What temperature is too hot for birds?

Birds have a higher body temperature than we do, around 105°F. However, that doesn’t mean they can handle extreme heat. Unlike other animals that sweat to cool off, birds use their feathers to prevent heat stroke.

Birds can handle a wider range of temperatures than most people know. A healthy bird can withstand temperatures from 40°F to 90°F without risking overheating. However, it's crucial to avoid sudden changes in temperature. You wouldn't want to take a bird from an air-conditioned house directly into 90° sunshine. Their body temperature needs to change slowly.

In an outdoor bird aviary, always provide plenty of shade and water. Monitor the temperature closely and bring your bird inside if it gets too hot. Heat can be deadly for birds, so it's essential to stay vigilant during hot weather to ensure your feathered friend stays safe and comfortable.

Can birds die from heat?

While we often worry about our birds getting chilled in the winter, it’s equally important to know that birds can overheat and die. There are two golden rules that I live by when providing my bird essential summer sunshine:

• Avoid sudden temperature changes.
• Never leave my bird's in the heat unattended.

Situations like leaving them in direct sunlight with no where to escape the heat or moving them from an air-conditioned home to a hot environment can be dangerous.

Whenever your bird is exposed to temperatures or conditions that might make you uncomfortable, closely supervise them for signs of heat exhaustion, such as:

• Breathing heavily with an open mouth, like panting
• Perching low with wings outstretched from the body
• Looking distressed rather than engaging with their environment or enjoying activities

By staying vigilant and recognizing these signs, you can prevent your bird from suffering heat exhaustion and ensure their safety in hot weather.

How do I help an overheated bird?

As a bird lover who enjoys getting outside with your pet, it's crucial to know what to do if your bird gets overheated.

Act quickly to bring your bird relief and know when to call your vet:

• Avoid Rapid Cooling: Don’t cool your bird down too quickly. Stand them on a damp towel or in a shallow dish of tepid or room-temperature water. Avoid using cold water.
  
  
• Light Mist: Lightly mist your bird with tepid water. Lift their wings gently to ensure the water reaches their skin.
  
  
• Watch for Heat Distress Signs: A bird in heat distress will pant, stand with legs slightly spread, and have drooping wings. Be vigilant for these signs.
  
  
• Cotton Ball Trick: Tuck wet cotton balls under each wing where they can contact the wing web and the body. This helps to cool them down gradually.
  
  
• Portable Shade and Water: When hiking, carry a small, portable shade structure to give your bird a break from direct sunlight. Always have fresh, cool water available for drinking and misting.
  
  
• Cooling Packs: Use cooling packs wrapped in cloth near your bird’s carrier, but not in direct contact, to help keep the environment cooler.
  
  
• Monitor and Adjust: Keep an eye on the temperature and your bird’s behavior. Adjust your hiking schedule to avoid the hottest parts of the day.
  
  
• Vet Care: If your bird shows severe signs of heat distress, seek veterinary care immediately. A vet can administer fluids and provide necessary treatment.

5 Tips To Help Prevent Bird Dehydration

1. Recognize the Signs of Overheating

If your bird is breathing through his mouth or panting, holding his wings away from his body, or is on the floor of the cage behaving in a lethargic or stressed manner, these could be a sign that he is sick or overheated and needs immediate veterinary support. Call your vet now.

2. Keep Your Bird At A Healthy Weight

A poor diet can make your bird overweight, making him or her susceptible to bird heat stroke. The same complications that overweight humans face can also occur in birds.

Hence, ensure that your bird's diet contains a wide variety of "live raw plant-based foods" for optimum weight and health. A healthy, fit bird is less likely to suffer from bird heat stroke. Learn more about my bird diet recommendations here.

3. Make Sure That Your Bird Has Access To Shade

Even though it's healthy for a bird to get some fresh air outside and enjoy the sun, if he or she stays in the sun for too long you could end up with an overheated bird.

You can help prevent this from happening by following these parrot care in summer tips

• Take your bird out earlier in the day before the heat gets to hot.  The best temperatures for avian sunbathing are between 50 - 80° F. Always supervise your bird when it is outside.
  
  
• Always make sure that your bird has access to a shaded area. Purchase a shade cloth and attach it to the aviary on the East / West sides. Make sure to place some comfortable perches in the shaded area plus food and water dishes.
  
  
• Get some large bird-safe shading plants that you can place inside of the aviary. Plants store a lot of water and if the plant has "perching" surfaces, all the better. By making sure that the plants have access to sunlight for a portion of the day, the soil and plant will receive the disinfecting benefits of natural sunlight.

4. Use Pet Camera's to Monitor Your Pet That Syncs To Your Phone.

Keep an eye on your bird with a pet camera. If you see signs of an overheated bird it's important to have a misting bottle filled with fresh water handy for a quick cool down. Better yet, take your bird inside to a cooler location and get it out of the heat.

5. Use an Echo To Remind You To Check Your Bird Every 5 Minutes

Since transitioning to working from home post-COVID, I've found it easier to keep an eye on my feathered friends while they are getting their "sunshine time." My Echo device is a big help, reminding me to check on my parrots or let the dogs out.

My outdoor aviary is right near a window, so I can easily keep an eye on my birds during their outside time. I'm aware that even as little as 15 minutes of sunshine a few times a week is very beneficial so I like to take them outside before it gets beastly hot.

I’ve noticed that my white cockatoo can tolerate the heat a bit better than my dark gray CAG. However, I still prefer to err on the side of caution for both. Even though I can see my birds from the window, I like to walk outside and touch the aviary to check if the metal is getting too hot. I don't want my birds burning their foot pads if they climb on a hot metal cage.

6. Bonus Tip: Water and Ice! 

Make sure that you always have a bathing dish full of fresh, clean water at the bottom of the cage and that it is replaced every time you take your bird outside. Keep it there anytime the bird is exposed to temperatures above 80° F

Also, it's important to make sure that your bird has plenty of fresh water easily available. You can even put ice cubes in the water.

My birds love it when I attach a mist sprayer to the aviary to help them stay cool in the heat.

In conclusion, letting your birds soak up the sun is super important for their health and happiness. Even just 15 minutes at a time can make a big difference. So, make sure to give them those sunny breaks safely!

To help you prepare, explore our Summer Bird Supplies collection for everything you need to keep your feathered friend safe and comfortable during their sunbathing sessions.

Related Posts:

Feeding your parrot a well-balanced diet

3 homemade treats your parrot will love this summer

How to bathe a parrot

References:

Brenda. (2019, July 23). How hot can the bird take, what temperature. Lafeber Pet Birds. Retrieved from https://lafeber.com/pet-birds/questions/how-hot-can-the-bird-take-what-temperature/

Shaw, T. (2021, June 11). How do birds keep cool in the summer? U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service. Retrieved from https://www.fws.gov/story/how-do-birds-keep-cool-summer

Griffin, C. (2012, August 1). How birds keep their cool. Audubon. Retrieved from https://www.audubon.org/news/how-birds-keep-their-cool#:~:text=Several%20populations%20of%20birds%2C%20most,summers%20that%20feel%20like%20scorchers.

World Parrot Trust. (2021). World Parrot Trust impact report 2020/21. Retrieved from https://www.parrots.org/pdfs/our_publications/reports/2021WPTImpactReport.pdf

Diane Burroughs, LCSW is a licensed psychotherapist trained in ABA therapy techniques. She specializes in avian anxiety disorders and is certified in Nutrition For Mental Health. Diane has written a number of bird behavior books and she offers behavior consultations. She's developed a range of UnRuffledRx Science-backed Parrot Wellness Supplies.

Diane's products have been featured in the Journal of Avian Medicine and Surgery and at Exoticscon, a conference for exotic pet veterinarians. Her bird collars & supplements are stocked in avian vet clinics and bird stores throughout the US. With over 30 years in the field of behavior, Diane has created thousands of successful individualized behavior plans that help pets thrive.

TAGS: #OutdoorBirdAviary #BirdsInTheSummer #CanBirdsDieFromHeat

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