I’ve had my lovebirds for a good while now, and they’ve always seemed very happy here at home.
They get everything they want, all the food and toys they could need, and they have plenty of space inside to fly around and play.
I’ve been considering, though, letting them outside to get some fresh air, and remember what it’s like to be a bird.
I wasn’t sure if they might fly away, though, under these circumstances—so I decided to look into it.
So, will lovebirds fly away?
Yes, they will if given the chance—although not necessarily on purpose. They just have an instinct to fly away, but they don’t want to leave what they know. They will usually try to come back if they do fly away, since they want food. Still, you should be careful to avoid this situation.
So, your lovebird will fly away if you’re not careful, although it will typically come back if it can find its way.
They don’t flee because they are desperate to escape—flying is just a natural impulse to them.
They don’t fully consider the implications of their actions.
It’s just instinct.
Let’s look further into this.
Do lovebirds fly away?
Yes, if given the chance, they will—virtually any pet bird would.
They do have a strong impulse to fly and survey their surroundings, and this translates to a strong desire to fly when they are given the chance.
Whether it’s an open window, or whether they were outside for some fresh air and saw an opportunity to escape.
So, yes, lovebirds fly away, but they don’t do so because they are desperate to escape your care.
It’s just a natural instinct.
You should, of course, take steps to make sure this doesn’t happen.
Never let them near an open window that they could fly through, and if you are taking their cage outside, be sure that it is kept under tight lock and key.
Often, cages are knocked over while outside, resulting in giving the bird a chance to fly away.
Be very, very careful if you are taking your birdcage outside.
If possible, just leave them in their cage inside and open a window—this should provide plenty of fresh air for them.
Even if you take the precautions, though, it can happen—so what to do if it does?
What do I do if my lovebird flew away?
Firstly, don’t panic.
But you do need to act fast.
If you can, gather some volunteers to help you search.
The first thing you want to do is place their cage near where they flew away.
This will help them find it if they are trying to return, and they will see it as their home.
Often, an escaped bird will be in shock, and will not be able to really go very far.
Search around any nearby place that could be a perch—trees, lampposts, anything where the bird could have gotten itself stuck.
A small net is a great way to catcyh them, although you need to be very careful with it—lovebirds are delicate.
A towel will also do the trick.
Put a lot of its favorite food out, in and around your house.
This will encourage it back, too.
Call it by name, or any familiar sound it should know.
This will help it identify you, and encourage it come down to you.
Play any music it might commonly hear.
If your immediate efforts fall short, then try reaching out to the wider community.
Anyone who has seen a wild lovebird in a residential area will know something is wrong.
Do lovebirds come back if they fly away?
They will certainly do their best to do so.
However, lovebirds do not have the strongest sense of navigation, and it’s important for you to realize that your bird has never seen your home from the air.
It doesn’t know what to look for.
That said, its natural instinct will be to fly home if it can find its way. often, lost birds will just come back of their own accord, to where they have comfort, shelter, food and water.
Encouraging it back, though, with the methods we’ve looked at is still really important.
How do they do in the wild if they escape?
Will lovebirds survive in the wild?
This really depends hugely on where they are, but generally speaking, no, they won’t.
A domestic lovebird that has spent its life being cared for doesn’t know how to care for itself, find food or shelter, and will be in deep shock.
Something could literally frighten them to death, if they don’t starve or go thirsty.
I don’t wish to sugar-coat it—lovebirds have very little chance of surviving in the wild without you.
This is why those first moments are the most important, you need to try to get it back as soon as you possibly can.
While you should always do your best to keep your lovebirds from flying away, naturally, it’s also important to note that they will generally make their way back when they escape.
They don’t want to be away from their home and comfort, they just have a natural impulse to fly.
Take very careful steps to avoid them flying away, and you should have no problem.
If you do, though, rest assured there is a very good chance they will just come back on their own terms.