Why the Caged Bird Screams

Can you imagine the feeling of flying? Imagine the wind, the sun, the freedom; imagine the whole world below you. As a child, I would dream about flying, and I envied the life of a bird soaring high in the sky. But many birds don’t get to live this life and instead lead lives of misery in cages as pets.

Caged birds are either captured in the wild or bred in captivity. Both are horrible: One involves knowing what freedom was and the other never knowing a minute of it. Around the world, nearly every species of bird is kept in cages, from pigeons to parrots; people create prisons for every type of these beautiful animals.

Many people buy birds not knowing of the cruelty that they will be inflicting on them and often underestimating the care that a bird needs. In the wild, birds would never leave their flock, but pet birds rarely ever have the opportunity even to see another bird for their entire lifetimes. Pet birds are often kept in cramped cages where they are unable even to stretch their wings and never know the joy of flying or the happiness of freedom.

Birds in cages crave freedom and companionship and often exhibit aggressive, neurotic, and self-destructive behavior as they languish in cramped cages. Because of their seemingly bad behavior caused by their torturous conditions, people will often condemn them to living in dark corners, in basements, or on balconies, all the while locked inside of cages.

Birds are known for their complex communication techniques, their beautiful feathers, and their unique intelligence, but when we cage birds, we take away their lives. Buying birds contributes to this horrible problem. Birds are meant to fly and be with their flock. If you are a bird lover, consider buying binoculars and going on bird-watching hikes or making a backyard oasis for your feathered friends. Never cage birds!

Posted by Edwina Baier