For a few years, I had a Timneh African Grey who was just about the strangest pet I’ve ever had. He was a riot. Figuring out which toys he would play with and which ones he was afraid of required some trial and error. Happily, choosing a cage for him was much easier. Once I looked into his needs for a cage, I found that there were several excellent cages on the market. The same is true for your bird, whatever the breed may be and whether you need large bird cages or smaller types. If you’re in the market for a bird cage, check out our list of the best bird cages by bird type.
9 Best Bird Cages: Your Buyer’s Guide
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1. Best Finch & Canary Cage: Prevue Hendryx Pet Products Wrought Iron Flight Cage
Pros:- Large size for multiple birds
- Three perches and four double cups for food and water
- Storage shelf
- Incorporated stand with wheels
Cons:- No seed guards
- Somewhat cheap build quality
- Difficult assembly
- Door locks not exactly robust
If you’re the proud owner of a whole flock of finches, or even a couple of canaries, you’ll need something quite large for them to move about in. That’s an odd paradox of bird cage shopping — the smallest birds need proportionately larger cages. They typically keep their flight wings and enjoy moving back and forth across horizontal, rather than vertical, space.
This option comes in two sizes for a relatively negligible price difference. At this price, the cage is 31 inches long by 20.5 inches wide by 53 inches tall. It includes a storage rack, removable grate and tray, and all the perches and dishes you’ll need. The stand is integrated and comes with casters so the whole thing is one unit. The extra large one is 37 inches long by 23 inches wide by 60 inches tall. Both feature 1/2 inch spacing.
Find more Prevue Hendryx Pet Products Wrought Iron Flight Cage information and reviews here.
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2. Best Finch & Canary Cage: Mcage Large Wrought Iron Flight Cage
Pros:- Detachable stand
- 4 inch square feeder doors
- Slide out grate and tray
- Comes with plastic cups, wooden perches, and metal ladders
Cons:- No seed guards
- Some panels can be warped
- Finish scratches on some units
- Some reviewers say the metal isn’t wrought iron
Even if you only have a few finches, you still want to provide them plenty of flight space. Society finches can live for up to 20 years, and in that time, they’re busy moving about and socializing.
The nice part about this unit is that the stand itself is much taller, so combined with the shorter cage, the birds will always be at a good height for viewing. This one is a touch sturdier than the one above. It measures 32 inches long by 19 inches wide by 37 inches high and includes a storage shelf at the bottom.
Find more Mcage Large Wrought Iron Flight Cage information and reviews here.
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3. Best Parakeet, Budgie & Parrotlet Cage: Vision Bird Cage Model L01
Pros:- Modern design
- Debris guard
- Top is removable for easy cleaning
- Multi-grip perches
Cons:- Clever birds may escape during cleaning
- Included food dish resides at bottom of the cage
- Paper liners will have to be trimmed to fit rounded corners
- Possibly difficult to assemble
While the typical wire construction cages are a constant and work perfectly fine, there’s also this innovative option for smaller parrotlets. Rather than using a slide out grate and tray, the top of this cage comes off completely so that the used litter can be dumped in the trash can. The deep base accommodates many different types of liter, so you can choose your favorite.
The cage measures 17 inches long by 31 inches wide by 22 inches high, which is enough for three or so budgies. It comes with terra-cotta perches and dishes, as well as a unique double door.
Find more Vision Bird Cage Model L01 information and reviews here.
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4. Best Parakeet, Budgie & Parrotlet Cage: Mcage Parakeet Cage
Pros:- Tall cage with roof-shaped top
- Four wooden perches
- One large access door and two smaller lift doors
- Pull out plastic tray
Cons:- May be somewhat flimsy
- Plastic tray may be hard to clean
- No seed guards
Maybe the modern bird cages don’t appeal to you. There’s a reason light wire cages have been popular as long as they have. This model looks the part of a house with its home-like roofline.
This cage is 18 inches long by 14 inches deep by 35 inches high. The bar spacing is 3/8 of an inch to keep little birds safe. The smaller doors will give you good access for filling the food dishes. A good all-around option.
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5. Best Small Conure & Cockatiel Cage: HQ’s Opening Scroll Parrot Cage
Pros:- Opening top turns normal cage into a play top cage
- Sturdy construction with wide stand and wheels
- Includes three stainless steel bowls
- Slide out tray and grate
Cons:- Heavy
- Wooden perches might arrive chipped
- No seed guards
They say you get what you pay for, so if the previous cage’s design couldn’t get you past the flimsiness, try this ultra-sturdy option. Built more like a large bird cage, this cage is great for small birds up to conures and quakers. The wide base will eliminate any fears of it tipping.
The cage dimensions are 22 inches long by 17 inches wide by 36 inches tall. This is probably enough room for a couple of cockatiels, but not quite enough for Timneh-sized birds. Most small conures would do well in this cage, though. This one is built to last, so if you’ve had trouble in the past, consider upgrading to this one.
Find more HQ’s Opening Scroll Parrot Cage information and reviews here.
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6. Best Small Conure & Cockatiel Cage: Prevue Pet Products Penthouse Suites Pagoda Roof Bird Cage
Pros:- Unique shape may fit in some spaces better
- Includes two hooded cups and two wooden perches
- Hinged front door for access
- Stand (overall height 56 inches)
Cons:- Relatively cheap build quality
- Wobbly stand
- Some units have paint chips
- Not overly spacious
To me, this cage begs to be put in a retro style kitchen. The flat back and curved front mean it can be pushed against the wall and still not extend too far out into the room. For a pair of lovebirds, this makes a good option.
This cage measures 20 inches long by 14 inches wide by 29 inches tall with 1/2 inch wire spacing. It’s a unique approach to a cage for a cockatiel, and could be used for smaller birds, as well. I would recommend putting something with weight on the storage stand to improve the stability.
Find more Prevue Pet Products Penthouse Suites Curved Front Bird Cage information and reviews here.
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7. Best Timneh African Grey, Cockatoo & Amazon Cage: Giantex Large Play Top Cage
Pros:- Play top perch with ladder and bowls
- Three feeder doors for easy dish fills
- Seed guards
- Heavy duty construction
Cons:- Only one perch included
- Some packages missing parts
- Less than ideal customer service
- Difficult to assemble
When I had my Timneh, I owned this very cage. It was more than large enough for him to get plenty of activity while in it, but had the added bonus of the play top for more activity. The seed guards did a pretty good job of limiting the mess, but it’s fair to say that nothing will stop a determined bird from leaving things all over your floor. That’s bird ownership for you.
This cage measures 24 inches wide by 22 inches long by 37 inches tall. It’s not quite big enough for multiple birds, and if you have a cockatoo on the large size, it might not be ideal for them, either. Still, if you have a Timneh or any of the squarely medium sized parrots, this is an excellent cage that will last awhile. It looks pretty good, too.
Find more Giantex Large Play Top Cage information and reviews here.
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8. Best Macaw & Congo African Grey Cage: Prevue Pet Products Silverado Macaw Dometop Cage
Pros:- Large cage for large birds
- Includes three bowls
- Seed guards
- Pull out grate and tray
Cons:- Only one perch included
- Clever birds may figure out how to open doors
- Some panels may get bent during shipping
- Tray may rust if not cleaned properly
Perhaps all you need is a relatively simple, but very large cage to house your macaw. The Silverado should do the trick. The bubble-style dome top will provide extra head room for your large bird, while the seed guards will keep the mess under control.
The dimensions of this beast are 46 inches wide by 36 inches long by 63 inches tall. Be sure to build this in place, because even with the wheels, getting this through doorways could be an issue. The three feeder doors are good for you, but on this particular model may prove easy to solve for a determined bird. Consider small padlocks to keep them in.
Find more Prevue Pet Products Silverado Macaw Dometop Cage information and reviews here.
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9. Best Macaw & Congo African Grey Cage: King’s Cages 9004030 Parrot Cage
Pros:- Color choices
- Heavy duty construction
- Bird resistant door lock
- Seed guards and slide out tray
Cons:- Only one perch included
- Slightly smaller than the Silverado
- No bowl locks
- Pricey
Once again, you get what you pay for. Though this one is a little smaller than the one above, this U.S made cage is extremely sturdy and uses high quality powder coating. The dome top features a fold-down door so your bird can come and go as they please during play time.
The dimensions of this huge cage are 40 inches long by 30 inches wide by 60 inches tall. That’s more than large enough for all the common large parrots and could even host multiple medium birds. As a bonus, you can choose from five colors: white, black, coppertone, gray, and sandstone.
Find more King’s Cages 9004030 Parrot Cage information and reviews here.
Of course, there will be some overlap in what cage works best for which birds. Generally speaking, the heavier and stronger the bird, the stronger the bars need to be. Small birds like finches need to be able to fly in their cage, while large birds like macaws need plenty of room to stretch out, as well as ultra-strong bars to keep them in. Budgies and parrotlets usually do just fine with light gauge bars, but as soon as you get to something with a very strong beak, like a Timneh, you'll want to invest in something a little stronger.
Best Finch & Canary Cages
Small birds like finches need width rather than height as they like to zip around from side to side. These are called flight cages or aviaries and encourage a lot of movement. The bars can be lighter gauge since the birds are smaller, but they're generally pretty large overall.
Best Parakeet, Budgie & Parrotlet Cages
Unlike the smaller flying birds, budgies and parrotlets tend to do more climbing around than flitting. Smaller cages with lighter bars are perfectly good for these birds. These cages tend to be smaller, so they'll need a table or other surface to sit on.
Best Small Conure & Cockatiel Cages
As we move into medium birds, there's quite a lot of overlap in what cages you can buy for them. Cockatiels tend to be more like budgies, so you can use lighter wire. If you're buying for a pair of lovebirds, you might want to opt for more space, while a single conure is likely to be happy in a wide variety of cages.
Best Timneh African Grey, Cockatoo & Amazon Cages
As bird size increases, so does bite strength. The Timneh I had was more than capable of bending thin metal, and could probably have worked his way through a finger if I let him. This is the medium-to-large group of birds, which tend to be active and require a bit more room. These are also notoriously clever birds, so the door locking mechanisms are a bit better on these cages.
Best Macaw & Congo African Grey Cages
The largest pet birds need the largest cages, of course. You need something big enough so these birds can stretch out while in their cage. They should be able to climb around a bit, too, though with these breeds, you'll have to take them out and exercise them properly. Dome top cages are popular for larger birds to give them just that extra bit of space.
See Also:
- Best Bird Toys
- Best Stands & Perches for Birds
- Cool Bearded Dragon Tank Decor Ideas
- Best Bearded Dragon Accessories