green and yellow pet bird sitting on a person's arm

How to Bond with Your Bird | Fun Games and Activities

Birds are incredible, social animals and make incredible pets. However, many first-time bird owners make the mistake of leaving their bird alone in their cage all day, failing to build a relationship with their feathered friend. No fear! Here are 5 ways you can bond with your bird today.

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According to a 2018 report from the American Veterinary Medical Association, there were over 7 million pet birds living in the United States.

While significantly lower than the number of cats and dogs, that statistic shows that there is no shortage of bird lovers among us…

Rightfully so!

Birds are beautiful, unique, loyal, and friendly creatures – but they don’t connect with just anyone.

If you want to build a close relationship with your pet, then you need to gain their trust through bonding activities.

Bonding is a slow process; it isn’t going to happen overnight.

In the beginning, avoid any loud noises or sudden movements that may startle or frighten your bird.

Be patient! A close, lasting relationship will be worth the effort.

pet bird in a cage, being pet by the finger of a person reaching into the cage

5 Ways You Can Bond with Your Bird

#1 – Handle Your Bird Daily

The best way that you can bond with your bird is to spend some time up close and personal.

This includes holding, petting, and grooming your bird daily.

If your bird is a little nervous, start with the bird remaining in the cage.

Reach your fingers in slowly, petting him/her lightly when you can see that it is comfortable with you doing so.

Hold your hand in the cage and allow the bird to perch on your finger.

Eventually, you can progress to petting and cuddling with your bird, spending plenty of quality time together.

#2 – Share Food with Your Bird

In the wild, birds will bond with the rest of their flock by sharing food as a collective group.

You can tap into this natural bonding technique by replicating it at home, selecting a food that is safe for your bird to enjoy.

Some bird-friendly foods that you may have in your kitchen include:

  • Cashew Nuts
  • Pumpkin Seeds
  • Sunflower Seeds
  • Leafy Greens (Kale, Spinach, etc.)
  • Bananas
  • Apples
  • Melons
  • Cucumber
  • Carrot
  • Broccoli
  • Snap Peas
  • Red/Green Peppers

Your bird is more likely to take food from your hand in the beginning if they have seen you enjoy some first.

Related: ‘Healthy Treats | Safe Fruits and Vegetables for Birds

#3 – Grooming/Preening Session

Another activity that birds will engage in together in the wild is to preen one another.

This often starts with gentle scratching or stroking your bird’s head, which helps to remove dust and dirt from their feathers.

Additional grooming may be required, depending on the type of bird.

This could include clipping your bird’s wings, bathing your bird, trimming your bird’s nails and/or trimming your bird’s beak.

If you are new to bird grooming, speak with your veterinarian and they will walk you though your bird’s individual needs and how to carry out each of these tasks.

Take your time and enjoy the process. After all, this is supposed to be an opportunity to spend time together and bond.

#4 – Play Games with Your Bird

Your bird’s interest level in playing games, and which games they prefer, will depend on the bird itself. Some breeds are naturally more playful than others.

All you can do is try and see what games your bird will enjoy.

As they say, enjoy the journey, don’t focus on the destination (although discovering their favourite game is definitely a win).

Start with the simple childhood favourite, Peek-A-Boo. Other great games include Hide-And-Seek and Fetch.

Have fun with it!

Related: ‘7 Simple Ways to Keep Your Pet Bird Happy

#5 – Teach Your Bird Tricks

From the basics, like stepping on/off your finger, to more elaborate training, like teaching your bird to talk, teaching your bird is a great way to bond with one another.

Select a verbal or visual command that you can associate with the specific trick that you are interested in teaching.

Birds can also be trained using a clicker, similar to clicker training for a dog.

Be sure to reward your bird each time that they do something well.

Positive attention is not only a great opportunity to bond, but also a proven way to train your bird (or any pet for that matter).

In addition to bonding, training will help to establish the actions and habits that you would like to see in your bird, setting you up for a positive experience as a bird owner.

green and yellow pet bird sitting on a person's arm with the text 5 ways to bond with your bird and have fun

What is your favourite activity to bond with your bird? Share your tips, tricks and ideas in the comment section below!

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40 Comments

  1. I have five budgies and they are awesome little pets! I have not trained mine, as it does take a long of time, but I love watching them interact with each other and I can lure them to my hand with treats. They are very nervous but my husband has made some progress with our rescued budgie. Training birds is not for the impatient, however you can certainly provide them with a wonderful life even if they are not tamed by letting them fly around–they know how to get back into their cages!–and providing toys and a good diet.

    1. You’re right, it’s definitely not a task for the impatient! They aren’t domesticated to the same level as cats and dogs, so it takes more work to earn the trust of the average bird.

  2. This is great advice for anyone who owns a pet bird or who is even considering getting a bird for a pet, I think handling your pet bird is very important as I think that’s a time where you can bond with it and get the bird to trust you x

    Lucy | http://www.lucymary.co.uk

  3. This was really interesting, I don’t think I’ve ever known anyone with a pet bird but I can’t believe people just leave them in their cages with no contact?? There were a few surprises for me on the foods to share list. I expected the nuts and seeds but didn’t realise they could have so many vegetables x

    Sophie

    1. Unfortunately, there is a misconception (especially with smaller birds) that they are happy just living their lives in their cages. This isn’t discussed often enough, which means that many new owners buy into this simply because they don’t know any different. That’s why it’s so important to speak up.

  4. Very cute! A couple of the girls on my outrigger canoe team have birds for pets! I’m not sure what exactly they are but one looks like mini green parrot kind of worth a bright colored chest. So smart! He likes to sit on hats and drink from his owners cups. ?‍♀️ Quite the big personality that one.

    Another girl on my team has pet chickens. Like, they live in her house and sleep on her couch. ? Oh Kauai!

  5. Lovely ideas. My mom has a pet parakeet and I really never have interacted with him much. He only really likes my mother, but maybe I will start doing some of the things you mentioned. He really is a sweet bird.

    1. It’s not uncommon for a pet to bond specifically with a person like that – your mom is the one that engages and interacts with him, feeds him, built his trust and established a relationship. But you can definitely take steps to build trust as well!

  6. I have never really thought about having a bird as a pet and forget people have them! I wouldn’t have a clue how to bond with one xx

    1. I would love to have a bird right now, but there is a lot that goes into their care and it just doesn’t fit with our lifestyle at this point. Maybe some day!

  7. This is so sweet – but I feel sorry for the birds that are left alone all day without any contact! I had a pet budgie once, we found him in our garden – he had obviously escaped from somewhere but we couldn’t track down the owner so we kept him! Eventually though, we gave him away to a family who already had pet birds because we felt he was lonely here and we never had time to give him as much attention as we would have liked xx

  8. when I was a kid, we used to know an old man on our way to and from school who had a parrot and we loved him! I loved their bond! My fiance gets totally freaked out by birds which makes me laugh so much!

    Rosie

    1. They develop such a close bond if they are living with a loving and caring family. Super friendly and loving pets. I have always had a huge weakness for parrots, but I know that they wouldn’t fit into our lifestyle at this time.

    1. They are such sweet pets, aren’t they? I haven’t had a budgie myself, but a friend did growing up and I loved having little conversations with it. It always reacted as if it fully understood what I was saying lol

    1. They definitely can be noisy pets, some breeds more than others! That being said, the chatty nature of some breeds is exactly what people are looking for as far as having companionship.

    1. They make incredible pets as long as you take the time to do your research, find which breed is best suited for you and your family. Some will require more regular interaction and hands-on care than others.

  9. Birds seem like SUCH sweet pets, I can’t imagine having them locked up in a cage all day! Then again, I can’t imaging that for any pet! I never knew how much birds could do, such as learn tricks and whatnot, until I saw certain videos online, but wow, they ARE incredible! When I am at a good time (and place – literally!) in my life where I can have a pet, I will definitely consider getting a bird; they’re just so sweet.

    1. I would LOVE to have a bird but I know that we don’t have a lifestyle that would support their needs properly right now. That being said, it is definitely in the back of my mind moving forward as we shift into other stages of our lives.

  10. I’ve never thought to have a bird as a pet, but a lot of these tips sound really similar to what I did to bond with my dog! You’re right, the pay off from patiently taking your time to bond with you pet is so worth it! x

  11. I got a green cheek conure just got a few days ago the previous owner did put in a cage do he a free flight bird how can i bond with more he love to sit on shoulder and head i taught him when i say where the mama he flies to me let me know

    1. Keep it up! The most you spend time interacting with him, the better you will be able to bond with him. Food is always a great option too, turning meal time or snack time into a shared experience by feeding him by hand or sharing something from your plate with him (ensuring, of course, that it’s something safe for him to eat first)