National Pet Bird Day – September 17, 2022, history, quotes FAQS
Preen your feathers and warm up your singing voice because September 17 is National Pet Bird Day. It’s a chance to recognize and celebrate the joy that being a bird’s pet parent can bring to your life. National Pet Bird Day is sponsored every year by the Bird Enjoyment and Advantage Koalition (yes, it spells BEAK!). The organization promotes safe, fun, and responsible bird ownership and has tips and tools to help you find your feathered soul mate. They’ve put together a bunch of great resources for the bird lovers in all of us including tons of information about birds and pet bird parenting, and quite possibly the cutest dang internet quiz ever made.
The American Pet Products Association says that there are nearly 6 million American households that own birds and in each one the bird is part of the family. So much so that some 14% of bird parents will even travel with their birds. And bird ownership is spread out among nearly every generation. Millennials, surprisingly, are the most likely to own birds at 36% but Baby Boomers and Gen Xers aren’t far behind with 26% and 24% respectively. When asked why they owned a bird 64% said because they were fun to watch and have in the house. We think that’s the best reason to befriend a bird and bring it home this National Pet Bird Day.
HISTORY OF NATIONAL PET BIRD DAY
Keeping birds as pets goes back nearly 4000 years. The ancient Sumerians — speakers of the world’s oldest known written language — ostensibly kept pet birds as they had a word for birdcage, and we know that ancient mariners used pet birds to help them discover land (if the bird spied it they’d fly off, otherwise, they stick with the boat). Pliny the Elder wrote of the ancient Romans keeping birds as pets, and even some of Alexander the Great’s generals brought pet birds back from conquests in India during the fourth century B.C.
Pet parenting became popular among the royal courts of Europe throughout the early part of the last millenia. The famous canary was brought to the royal court in Portugal in the 1340s and they became particularly popular in the late 15th century. As new global trade routes were discovered, birds were brought in from all over the world, including the newly discovered Americas, and graced the homes of some of Europe’s most famous monarchs.
Today, there are nearly 6 million homes in America with pet birds and never has there been a better time to share in the many ways pet birds enrich our lives. Bird ownership has been cited as an excellent form of companionship (49% of Americans), stress relievers (44%), and good for improving one’s health (25%). These numbers illustrate what humans have known for thousands of years, having birds as pets can demonstrably improve your life.
NATIONAL PET BIRD DAY TIMELINE
3000 BC
Sumerian for “Polly Wants a Cracker”
While we don’t have direct evidence of ancient Sumerians keeping birds as pets, their language did have a word for birdcage.
1341 AD
The Canary comes a’callin
Voyagers to the Canary islands returned with these little songsters in tow and they quickly became the squawk of the royal courts of Europe.
1800s and early 1900s
Presidential Parrots
Pet bird parenting wasn’t only for monarchs. Presidents Andrew Jackson, Ulysses S. Grant, William McKinley, Theodore Roosevelt, and Calvin Coolidge were all proud parrot parents.
2016
BEAK takes flight for responsible pet bird ownership
BEAK was formed to promote responsible treatment of pet birds and in 2016 launched a campaign dedicated to “sharing the joys and benefits of birds as pets” and educating the public on responsible care.
How to Celebrate National Pet Bird Day
Enjoy the fun and delight of National Pet Bird Day with some of these ideas:
Show Appreciation to Your Pet Bird
Those who have a pet bird can celebrate National Pet Bird Day by popping by the pet store to pick up a treat. Birds enjoy treats like seeds and nuts. Or grab your little birdie a new swing, chain, perch, ladder or toy.
Of course, many pet birds are just as happy with a toy that is made at home, like a ladder made out of Popsicle sticks, poker chips or even shower curtain rings. Your pet bird will be perfectly happy and have tons of fun on National Pet Bird Day!
Learn About Birds
One fun and exciting way to celebrate National Pet Bird Day is to learn a bit about birds. Get started with some of these fun facts:
- Birds love routineWhile they can be fairly low maintenance when understood, it’s important for owners to remember that birds are good time-keepers, they like to eat at the same time every day, and they need a long twelve hours of sleep.
- Birds have up to 20,000 speciesAt least 12 families of birds are kept as pets and each family has at least a dozen species.
- Birds can be expensiveLarge, exotic birds, like Macaws, can cost up to $5,000. But a parakeet can be as inexpensive as $10.
Get a New Pet Bird
Those who don’t have a pet bird might consider National Pet Bird Day as a time to consider getting one. While they do still need the attention and care that any good pet owner offers, pet birds are great pets that can offer companionship and are happily kept inside, even in small houses or apartments. With beautiful feathers and distinct colors, with the proper training, some birds can even learn how to talk!
But those considering getting a pet bird should also be sure they understand the needs and responsibilities that go along with the different species of birds.
NATIONAL PET BIRD DAY FAQS
When was the first National Pet Bird Day?
BEAK launched the very first National Pet Bird Day in 2019 in an effort to educate the public on the joys of owning a bird and to promote responsible and healthy bird ownership practices.
Why do people keep pet birds?
There are endless reasons to have a pet bird in your life but a survey conducted by the American Pet Products Association found that 64% of American bird owners thought they were fun to have in the house, 24% thought it brought the family together, and 26% thought it taught kids responsibility.
What’s the most popular pet bird species?
Different pet bird species have come in and out of vogue over the centuries. In the 21st century, parakeets, cockatiels, and canaries top the list in American households. If you want to learn which bird is best for you why not take the quiz?
