Can budgies stay outside in winter? Yes, you can – provided you make the necessary preparations. When the temperatures outside get colder, you have to winterize the outdoor aviary in particular.
In winter it’s important that the budgies and other birds are well housed – Shutterstock / Brandy McKnight
Budgies are one of the types of birds that you can keep outside even in winter. In fact, keeping budgies outdoors in winter actually makes sense. And for three reasons:
- The sociable birdies have a very high oxygen requirement.
- You need enough opportunities for free flight.
- Budgies need sunlight to be able to produce the vital vitamin D.
Budgerigar: Furnishing the aviary for the winter
In winter, cold temperatures and uncomfortable weather place special demands on the outdoor aviary. The most important thing is that there is a safe, draft-proof cottage inside the aviary, which is thermally insulated. The outdoor free flight cage should meet these conditions:
- Aviary must be protected from wind and weather.
- The outdoor aviary should ideally face south or east so that the sun shines in.
- The shelter must be warm and fitted with bird-proof heating elements such as heaters, heating lamps or radiant heaters (red light).
- Good wall insulation protects against the cold and saves on heating costs.
- The shelter should be lit so that the birdies can find it in the dark.
- Bathing water and fresh drinking water should be available indoors, as it cannot freeze here.
Tip: Modern thermostats in fan heaters and other devices (frost guards) activate automatically when the temperature inside the aviary falls below a certain level. The aviary should have a sliding door to ensure the birdies stay inside at night when temperatures are very cold.
Keeping budgies outside in winter: condition and diet
In addition to a winter-proof outdoor aviary, there are other important things to consider if you want to keep your budgies outside during the winter. So it is important that the birds adjust to the colder temperatures. Put them in the aviary before winter sets in. Then they can easily put up with temperatures as low as minus five degrees Celsius.
However, make sure that all animals are fit and healthy. Weakened, sick or very old budgerigars may not be able to summon up enough energy to get through the winter outside well. In addition, it is important that you provide your birds with the necessary energy. In order to defy the cold temperatures outside, their feathered bodies have to work particularly hard.
Energy food, for example in the form of nuts, helps the birds to build up a good fat pad. However, you should not overdo it – too much fat in their food can lead to metabolic problems in budgies. Otherwise, you should always keep an eye on your budgerigars (and all other birds) in winter – this way you can tell if one or the other animal is perhaps too cold.
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