why do pet birds escape when they can? does this mean that they don't like their owners?

Answer 1

I don't think that they necessarily escape from their owners, but instead an outside scary thing.

Like, for instance where I can take Rio, my Military Macaw outside and know for 100% certainty that he'll never go anywhere (he's bonded heavily to me and trusts me that I'd never lead him into a situation where he'll get hurt plus he's too much of a wuss to fly away), I'd never dream of doing that exact same thing with my DYH Amazon, Elle because he's scared of everything. When Elle goes out, Elle wears a flight suit or a feather tether.

Rio has been freaked out by things outside. Like, say trees. He's the only bird I've ever met that is terrified of trees. But, with him, he knows that I'm safer than say flying up to that big scary tree.

It's the outside things that scare them. Something freaks them out and off they go.

But...if you're talking about doors being open etc., I'd say that is just good old fashioned curiosity. My birds aren't curious what's outside because they pretty much go everywhere with us. But, birds that are indoor only birds, those birds are instinctively curious where their people have been, and what is on the other side of that big thing that opens and closes all the time.

They are very smart. Curiosity wasn't reserved for just the cat!

Answer 2

Fear is the only reason they would fly away. I take many of my birds outside on a regular basis (either in a cage or with clipped wings). None will fly away, unless they're not tame (afraid of me) or something frightens them. They're not thinking "I hate caged life", they're thinking they must escape from a looming threat, be it the owner or something else. Even if a bird is bonded to its owner, it may be frightened by something, fly away and *not know its way home*. Even if it wanted to return, it can't now. However, if the bird knows where it is and how to get home, *it will!*, just as a couple previous answerers have said. They flight train parrots at bird shows, people flight train their pets, and they still keep them in cages. Birds don't hate caged life, that's all they know. Fully flighted birds at my local aviary are trusted to return to their cages, and they do. Cages are usually a safe haven, not a place to dread, any bird owner knows this. In the wild a bird has a nest that it will return to, because it knows the way home. If a parrot knows the way home and isn't afraid, it will stay or go home. (After they've taken off, they've never seen the world from this angle and don't know what home looks like from up in the sky!)

Answer 3

It depends what kind of bird it is. Luner is right in that a cage is not a nutural habitat for a bird. In addition, birds tend to be high strung and view almost everything as a predator. after a while, they get used to their human owners but are always skittish.
That said, I keep a parrot at my home overseas and he has bonded to our family. We keep him in a large flight enclosure for his protection but from time to time he gets out and flies around the neighborhood for the day. At dusk, he returns to his enclosure.
When I was younger, I bred peacocks and pheasant on a piece of family land. After a few months living in pens, they could be released and would always come home to roost.
Remember, with the exception of domesticated fowl, birds are wild animals. Their instincts are to live in the wild with their own kind. There is a great example of this in St Pete, Fla. About a hundred red headed green parrots live in one tree in a residential neighborhood. Since that species is not native to Florida, they are all escapees or their decendents.

Answer 4

It means that they're not "built" to be trapped in some small cage and they long to be free. Do you blame them ? It's sad for any animal to be caged and confined to such small areas when they are meant to roam around freely. It's really crazy how we like to keep these poor things trapped for our entertainment. I work for a place that deals in animals and even though I like to observe them close-by, I still feel sorry for them because they're so confined and this is just sad if you think about it too deeply.

Answer 5

They see something new to investigate, and so they do go and investigate it. But the birds (poultry) that I live and work with aren't desperate to get out of their living quarters at all.

Answer 6

Birds are just dumb animals. They dont know that with an owner they will get fed every day and never be in danger, but in the wild they could easily become prey to other animals!
Either way birds would want to be outside with other birds.

Answer 7

no its just that there stuck in a cage all the time and when they get a chance to get out they're like, "oh look there is open area i can go out and stretch my wings..." and then when you try to catch them its like taking a child away from candy.....they don't want to go back into the cage..

Answer 8

It's in their nature, marked on their DNA. They are domesticated, but their instinct generally is to keep it to themselves. They're uncomfortable being too close or to be held during interaction.

Answer 9

They want to be free like the wind!!!!! Also they are cooped up in a cage all day so they want to strech their wings!!!

Answer 10

I just dont think they like being in a cage their whole life.