Keeping Wild Birds as Pets

Attempting to keep a wild bird as a pet is a questionable idea in the vast majority of cases, and depending on where you live, it could also be illegal. In the United States, it is against the law to keep any sort of wild native bird captive, and anyone who is caught doing so could be charged with a felony. The law sometimes even extends to things like feathers and eggshells—meaning that to possess any feather of a wild native bird, an egg, an eggshell, or anything of the sort is illegal as well.

This is only one reason why it's generally best to steer clear of the idea of taming a wild bird and keeping it as a pet.

Ethics of Keeping Wild Birds as Pets

One of many problems with keeping wild birds as pets is that it would be rather unethical to do so. Taking a wild animal out of its

 habitat and placing it in a cage isn't a very humane thing to do in the eyes of most people, and the vast majority of parrots and other bird species that are commonly kept as pets have been bred in captivity. These birds wear a metal band around one of their legs to show that they have not been taken from the wild.

Some people may not have any ethical hesitations surrounding bringing a wild bird home, but many bird experts—particularly an avian vet, who you would have to visit if the bird got sick or injured—will. It would likely be extremely difficult, if not impossible, to find an avian vet that would be willing to treat a wild bird if he or she were to get sick—especially if it was a protected species.

If you find a wild baby bird that you feel is orphaned and needs help, leave it be and notify your local wildlife agency of the situation. That