Pet birds should never be released.
I’m just going to talk about this for a moment because I’ve seen so many people who think it’s kind to release captive birds. Even recently, there’s a pet store I visit frequently to spend time with the conures, and they suspect a family may have bought 5 budgerigars so their kids could release them. If they did, those birds have starved to death by now.
Birds sold as pets are born in captivity (and usually have a leg band to prove it, unless the owner took it off), most likely very far from their native countries, and do not know what food looks like apart from seeds, pellets, and cut up fruit and vegetables in bowls. If there even is anything outside that they could eat, they won’t know to look for it.
Apart from that, they may not be able to survive in the climate they get released into.
If they came from a home with other pets, they may see someone else’s pet and not know that it may hurt them.
Not to mention the fact that you shouldn’t be introducing any non native animals where they don’t belong.
I’ve also seen people who take great care of their birds and have a great bond with them, like Gotcha and his mom, and still get comments about how they should set them free. The bird does not want to leave it’s person. I’m sure that even if they did release it, it would just sit in the yard waiting for them to bring it back in. Most birds even need mental stimulation and interaction from people that they could not get by themselves. Keep in mind that the birds we raised are different from wild birds. They grew up knowing people and toys and other captive birds, not large wild flocks of their own kind. Which probably won’t be around anyways. Your cockatiel does not want to live with the sparrows outside. It wants it’s human.
That being said, if your bird gets out by accident, it is probably still nearby. Set out some food bowls and see if they find it.
Anyways, there’s my rant. Take care of your birbs. Birbs are good friends.
