Best Parrot species to live in planted outdoor aviary?

[Mosasaurus]

I'm thinking of building an outdoor aviary with plants and maybe a shallow water feature (filtered, not deep enough to drown, parrot safe). It would be approximately 24×10ft×10ft(unsure about height) and I'm going to choose safe plants/shrubs, of course. There are going to be multiple feeding stations and multiple water sources over the water feature. As for winter, I can make a wooden shelter, and use hot water bottles for night, but I can't heat it electrically. The coldest nighty average temperature is about -22F. I'll probably want to buy some button or japanese quails and guinea fowl too, to get rid of insects.
Any idea what specie or species could be kept here? Is it possible to mix two or more small species (over the quail/guineafowl)? I thought of bourke's parakeets (or maybe grass parrakets), but I've heard are sensitive to cold weather.
Thanks for the help and I hope I posted it in the right section! ​

 

[MnGuy]

-22F? That sounds impossibly cold for parrots. Sorry.

 

[Mosasaurus]

Oh, since most breeders keep parrots in unheated aviaries, I thought it's okay : o I guess it's possible to bring them in at winter then. Though then they should be non aggressive so I could let them out with my green cheek conure (He may be nippy but he's controllable and of course I wouldn't let them unsupervised.)

 

[karen256]

That sounds dangerously cold for parrots as well as button quail. Most breeders seem to be located in warmer climates. I know of a cockatoo breeder that keeps the cockatoos year round in unheated aviaries in temperatures like that, but all of them have access to a draft free indoor section that is heated to 40 degrees or so. You might be able to keep some of the hardier species if you could provide a comfortable, draft free, heated shelter.

If you are simply looking for interesting birds for your aviary that can do well in unheated conditions, consider bobwhite quail (very hardy and have a pleasant call) or, if you have enough room, some ornamental pheasants like golden pheasants - they are beautiful birds and cold hardy.

 

[Mosasaurus]

I meant the local breeders, I'm living in Europe. But as I said I am probably able to bring them indoors if it gets too cold or see how warm (or cold) my wooden shelter would be at Winter.

Oh, since most breeders keep parrots in unheated aviaries, I thought it's okay : o I guess it's possible to bring them in at winter then. Though then they should be non aggressive so I could let them out with my green cheek conure (He may be nippy but he's controllable and of course I wouldn't let them unsupervised.)

 

[Shinobi]

the only parrot that could possibly survive in temperature would be New Zealand Alpine Parrot called a Kea. But I don't think you could get one has they are a protected species.


https://www.google.com.au/url?sa=t&...arrot/&usg=AFQjCNHsZEJqioekjdgyBGfZwYWRpJGsWA

 

[Mizzely]

I know that popular opinion is that 40F is the minimum for parrots, however like you said in the UK its common for breeders to leave their birds outside year round.

Could you do a heat lamp or anything to give some heat?

Some past threads:

How cold is too cold? | Avian Avenue Parrot Forum

URGENT: lowest indoor temp for Cockatoo? | Page 2 | Avian Avenue Parrot Forum

 

[rockybird]

I grew up in Alaska where temperatures occasionally get that cold. There are very few native birds that survive the winter in those temps and certainly no parrots. It would be nothing short of cruel to keep any bird captive in those temperatures, in my opinion.

 

[janicedyh]

I was thinking. Aviaries are nice things to have. You enjoy having feathered companions and give them enough space., on the other hand ... what Rockybird said. You don't want them just surviving

 

[rockybird]

@janicedyh thanks! But they will not survive. They will die with severe frostbite. It would be inhumane.

 

[janicedyh]

I live in the south and it still would be too cold for my birds at night. Is it possible .... I wouldn't want to do the experiment

 

[JLcribber]

I'm thinking of building an outdoor aviary with plants and maybe a shallow water feature (filtered, not deep enough to drown, parrot safe). It would be approximately 24×10ft×10ft(unsure about height) and I'm going to choose safe plants/shrubs, of course. There are going to be multiple feeding stations and multiple water sources over the water feature. As for winter, I can make a wooden shelter, and use hot water bottles for night, but I can't heat it electrically. The coldest nighty average temperature is about -22F. I'll probably want to buy some button or japanese quails and guinea fowl too, to get rid of insects.
Any idea what specie or species could be kept here? Is it possible to mix two or more small species (over the quail/guineafowl)? I thought of bourke's parakeets (or maybe grass parrakets), but I've heard are sensitive to cold weather.
Thanks for the help and I hope I posted it in the right section! ​

The only thing you should be putting in a permanent outdoor aviary in that climate is a native species to that climate. And in that case you don't really need an aviary because those kinds of birds live there naturally.

Why do you want an aviary?

 

[tka]

I know that popular opinion is that 40F is the minimum for parrots, however like you said in the UK its common for breeders to leave their birds outside year round

It doesn't get to -22F in the UK - winter temperatures average at around 0C or low 30s farenheit, and even the coldest temperatures on record are about -17F.

 

[DQTimnehs]

My birds are sometimes shivering at 22 C (72 F). I won't even take them out in the winter unless it's an emergency to a heated car.
Why not just let the bird you have enjoy the aviary in the nice summer days? I would still bring him in at night. You don't want a predator breaking in and getting him.

 

[karen256]

Many parrots experience freezing or near freezing temperatures in the wild but it is for short periods, they can seek shelter, and undoubtedly cold weather does kill some weaker individuals. They basically do well in the same temperature range that people (and other tropical species) like. In the case of the cockatoos, they seem to enjoy flying in their aviaries in winter for short periods, then going to their indoor quarters to warm up. I've read that wild linnies have been seen to enjoy playing and 'bathing' in fresh snow. But just think about it with people - a person may enjoy outdoor activities when it's -20 but they couldn't survive at that temperature. Quaker parrots are the only parrots I know of that can live outdoors when it gets that cold - but this is because they build large communal nests on power transformers, so they basically have a heated shelter, too.
If you lived somewhere where the temperature went below freezing only rarely, some parrots might do fine with just a small shelter and a board or wall acting as a windbreak for part of the aviary. But I think you are just too cold unless you can add a shelter with a heat lamp or other heat source.