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Office of Animal Welfare

Environmental Enrichment for Birds

I. Introduction/Purpose

The goal of environmental enrichment for birds is to maximize activity while increasing species specific positive behavior and enhancing the animals’ well-being and welfare. Components of an environmental enrichment program for birds include but are not limited to eliciting natural behaviors, improving the use of housing enclosures, sensory stimulation, training activities, provision of choice or control of environment, social housing for species for which this is appropriate, the use of perches, foraging devices, food enrichment, and nest boxes.

II. Procedures

A. All birds will be provided with environmental enrichment unless:

    1. The investigator provides scientific justification to the IACUC as to why enrichment is not compatible with the goals of the study and the IACUC approves the variance.
      OR
    2. If, in the opinion of the Attending Veterinarian or designee, environmental enrichment will adversely affect the health or well-being of the animals.

A Husbandry Special Services Request form must be completed and turned in by the responsible party (Investigator group or Vet Services) to the facility supervisor if environmental enrichment is to be restricted or absent.

B. Social housing

  1. All birds should be housed socially and able to see and hear birds of their own compatible species, unless they are an aggressive species, or the attending veterinarian determines that it would endanger their health, safety, or wellbeing. Birds will be housed in compatible pairs or flocks of similar-aged birds of the same species unless they are wild caught, an aggressive species, or breeding. Wild-caught birds are of unknown age and background, pathogen status, and thus may need to be separated from other birds. Breeding groups should be kept separate from other breeding groups to avoid fighting and aggressive behaviors.
  2. Adult birds that arrive separately are to be introduced to social housing if they are kept in the facility for longer than 2 weeks unless they are wild-caught or an aggressive species. Wild caught birds are kept in quarantine for a minimum of 1 month and then, because they are of unknown age, condition, and pathogen status may need to be kept separate from other birds.
  3. Some birds may be housed singly due to health issues deemed by a clinical veterinarian’s examination. In these events, birds will be housed with auditory and visual access to birds of compatible species, if this is not an aggressive species. This housing will be kept to a minimum timeframe, as designated by a clinical veterinarian. If deemed appropriate, birds will return to group housing after clinical examination.

C. Housing System

  1. Animals should be housed with the goal of maximizing species typical postures and positions for resting, sleeping, feeding, exploration, and play. Opportunity should be provided for species specific typical locomotion.
  2. Birds will be housed in aviary type enclosures, with contact bedding or pan liners, and enough horizontal and vertical space for flight, unless described in the animal use protocol or approved for exemption by the attending veterinarian.

D. New environmental enrichment items can be gradually and slowly introduced with the approval of the Chair of the Environmental Enrichment Committee and the Attending Veterinarian. Environmental enrichment should be changed out at the same frequency as cage changes.

  1. Perches – All birds should have perches provided in their cages. Perches should be of adequate width and texture to prevent foot injury or the development of problems and replaced when worn. Perches can be variable in size, shape, and texture, and should be placed at varying heights within the cage. Perches will be replaced and sanitized at a minimum frequency of once a month.
  2. Food enrichment – Contaminant screened food treats (Bioserv) may be offered for additional food enrichment for some birds when applicable.
  3. Next boxes and sites can be provided for birds in the housing enclosure or adjacent to the cage in a manner that is accessible to the birds. Nest boxes may be provided with nesting material such as burlap for Zebra finches.
  4. Foraging opportunities- Birds should be given opportunity to forage among substrate on caging floor, in a bowl/trough, or in other applications. Species adapted foraging devices/toys will be introduced to the cage as appropriate and rotated with other environmental enrichment devices.
  5. Manipulanda/toys- Cages can be equipped with items that allow for enriched behavior (species specific locomotion, chewing, varied sensory stimuli), such as swings, plastic rings, and small mirrors.
  6. Bath-Bird species that may benefit from baths can be given the opportunity to bathe by placing a bird bath within the enclosure. Bird baths will be given at a minimum frequency of once a week for Taeniopygia. Hummingbirds will be given a mist bath at a frequency of once a week.

E. Singly Housed Birds

  1. Singly housed birds, that are not going to be re-released in the wild, should gradually be provided with additional enrichment items in the cage, which can include food enrichment, increased variety and number of perches, swings, and a mirror. When possible and appropriate for the species, cohort vocalizations should be audible for singly housed birds. Investigators must provide scientific justification as for the reasoning of singly housed birds.
  2. Some bird species may require individual housing with natural history of aggression, strong scientific, welfare and/or medical justification:

a. Social/species incompatibility

i. Naturally aggressive species (e.g. Hummingbirds)

b. Medical reasons
c. Specifically approved within the IACUC protocol

F. Program for Identifying Abnormal Behavior

  1. Ongoing evaluation of animal behavior is necessary to ensure a successful environmental enrichment program. Birds are evaluated at least once a day for signs of illness. Additionally, monitoring of species-specific behaviors and enriched behaviors will be evaluated by the husbandry team. Behaviors that may indicate animal stress or lack of an enriched environment may include the following:

a. Excessive feather picking
b. Self-mutilation
c. Interspecies aggression
d. Social isolation
e. Restlessness

The Department of Comparative medicine will evaluate the need for additional environmental enrichment if these behaviors are observed. All changes will be approved by the Attending Veterinarian.

III. References

  1. https://oacu.oir.nih.gov/sites/default/files/uploads/arac-guidelines/d4-2017_gen_enrich-final_3-22-17.pdf (PDF)
  2. Environmental Enrichments Information Resources for Laboratory Animals (AWIC Resource Series No. 2), Environmental Enrichment for Birds, Christine Nicol. Environmental Enrichments Information Resources for Laboratory Animals
  3. Anderson L. C. Fox J. G. Otto G. M. Pritchett-Corning K. R. & Whary M. T. (2015). Laboratory animal medicine (Third), Chapter 23 – Zebra Finches in Biomedical Research.
  4. USDA Avian Enrichment Welfare Symposium. November 19-20, 2024. Live web-based presentations. https://www.aphis.usda.gov/animal-care/caw

IV. Revision/Approval

SOP Created: 05/14/2012
Last Reviewed by the IACUC: 02/20/2025

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