Is it illegal to keep Parrots in Cage in India ?

There’s no yes or no answer to this question. Yes, you can keep some types of parrots in cage, but not all.

You cannot keep Indian wild parrots as pets in India. That’s because they are protected under Wildlife Protection Act, 1972 of India. If you do so, you may be fined, and/or even imprisoned (imprisonment for up to 3 years, a fine of up to Rs 25,000, or both). Some of such parrot breeds are: Indian Ringneck parrot, Indian hanging parrot, etc.

Obviously, if you cannot even keep them as pets, putting them in cages is out of the question. If you have an Indian parrot breed at home, then you should submit them to the forest department as soon as possible, or release them.

Only the parrots that are legal to be kept as domestic birds can be kept in cages. That includes any foreign parrot, or exotic parrot breeds, e.g. Budgies, African Greys, etc.

However, even if we are keeping them in a cage, we must give them enough space. Under the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (PCA) Act, 1960, it is illegal to confine any animal (or bird) in any cage that does not measure sufficiently in height, length, and breadth to permit the animal a reasonable opportunity for movement.

Table of Contents

• View of Indian Courts on caging of Birds
• Ill-effects of keeping Parrots in Cages
• Can we keep Parrots without Cages?

View of Indian Courts on caging of Birds

Indian courts of law have also given their views from time to time, regarding the caging of birds (including parrots).

As per Delhi High Court, birds have a fundamental right to “live with dignity”. That includes the right to fly in the sky, and not be confined to cages.

This decision was given in 2015. However, as far as we understand it has not been implemented in general, as it is not a law. This was just an observation made in a case, where some birds were seized from a man in Delhi by some animal NGO.

We still see birds like hens and chickens caged in very small cages, and killed on a regular basis. Probably the “live with dignity” thing does not apply to them.

So, as it stands now, our understanding is that we can keep birds in cages. But they should not be an Indian wild breed. This applies to parrots or any other bird.

Note

Recently, the Animal Welfare Board issued an advisory to states and UTs to ban caging of aerial birds (in June 2021). This advisory was based on the court orders of Gujrat and Delhi High Courts.

Now, we are clear on the legal standing of confining a parrot in a cage. You can do so. But still two questions remain:

• Should we do so?
• Do we really need to do so?

Let’s try to find the answers to these questions.

Ill-effects of keeping Parrots in Cages

Should we keep parrots in cages?

This is more of a moral question, than a legal one. There are often deep psychological impacts of confinement. Will you like to be confined to your room even for a few hours against your will?

Many parrots get severely depressed, or get anxious in cages. They start picking their own feathers, hurting themselves, attacking others, etc. The feathers grow back sometime, and sometimes they don’t.

They may also do it because they get bored in cages. Parrots are active social creatures. They need to socialize with others, they need to play, etc. They have an active brain and it needs to be kept occupied. So, if you are keeping only a single or two parrots in a cage, then they might just get bored to death literally. Parrots hate isolation. It has been observed that caged parrots may die withing 1-2 years, if not cared and taken care of properly.

Even if you are keeping your parrot in a cage, make sure you release it for some hours. Let it play around in a room. And make sure that the cage of your parrot is large enough for it to play around. Put in some toys and treats in it.

Some owners also give them a chance to fly in the open. If you have bonded with your parrot, it will not fly away. It will always come back to you. However, you should be cautious of predatory birds, if you are taking your parrot in the open.

Some people feel a lot of stress due to it – they are always afraid that their parrot may fly away through an open door and get killed, or get itself hurt somehow. But you can train your parrot to fly in the open gradually.

Kindly do not consider every parrot as the same. Every parrot has a different personality, just like humans – even those of the same breed. Some like freedom more than others, some like company of others (their owners' or other parrots') more than others.

Note

I personally love my freedom, and so I want all humans and animals to have it too. It’s precious.

I have a friend that buys caged birds (who are somewhat aged and have no buyers), and release them in the wild. He does so once or twice in a year. Though I do not support it, as buying birds gives a boost to the industry that captures them from the wild or breeds them inhumanely.

But it’s a complex social problem, like the decision to give money to beggars or not. Everyone has to rely on their own judgement and take the right moral call.

Now, let us answer the second question. Do we even need to keep our parrots in cages? Can’t we just keep them free?

Can we keep Parrots without Cages?

Yes, absolutely you can. There are many parrot owners who do not like the idea of keeping their birds in cages. And there are some advantages to this lifestyle approach:

• You will get a lot more opportunity to interact with your parrot. It will come to you when it wants to, just like a puppy. A free parrot is a happy parrot.
• They learn to fly easily.

However, there are a few things to consider here.

Even if you do not keep your parrot in a cage, you will need to protect them from predatory birds, and other wild animals like dogs and cats. So, you can keep them confined to a room, or build an outdoor big cage in your backyard (if you can afford it of course). They will still be cages, but much larger in size. So, your parrots will get to fly around anytime they want. Much more humane than the traditional small cages.

But you will still need to have those small cages too. You will require it to transport your parrot. Maybe if you are taking it along on a trip, or taking it to a vet.

Sometimes, we get guests and parrots have a tendency to attack – bite, scratch. Some parrot breeds even attack other pets, like our dogs. So, sometimes you may need to cage them to protect others from them.

Also, if you are always keeping your parrot out of a cage, then they will create a lot of mess – there will be pellets and poop everywhere. So, you may want to find a middle path between giving your pet bird a free lifestyle, and making a mess of your house.

So, you can keep your parrots without confining them to small cages. This is the way it should be. But do get some spacious and comfy cages too. You will need them now and then.