Environmental enrichment for pet birds involves modification of a caged environment to allow expression of natural behaviors (Figure 1).6 Natural behaviors generally include foraging, social interaction, feather care, and nesting. In many species of wild parrots, foraging and feeding represent most (>50%) daily activities.8 Similarly, other birds (eg, wild quail, jungle fowl) live in small social groups and devote much of their day to scratching, foraging, and roosting. They also perform sequences of behavior such as dust bathing and prelaying nesting.
Figure 1 Hyacinth macaw manipulating an environmental enrichment baffle cage