Most parrot species prefer 65 – 72 degrees Fahrenheit (18-22 degrees Celsius).
Anything colder than 60F (16C) will feel very cold for tropical parrots (like African grays and macaws.) Less than 40F (4C) is far too cold for parrots from Australia (like budgies and cockatiels.)
These are the coldest temperatures healthy parrots can tolerate in the short term. The signs a parrot is too cold include squatting, fluffing feathers, pooping less, eating more, and shivering.
If you have a sick, underweight, young, or elderly parrot, a higher-than-average temperature is essential.
Parrots Dislike Cold Weather
Parrots come from hot, often tropical climes. Unsurprisingly, they dislike prolonged low temperatures. However, they’re adaptive creatures that can temporarily survive in cold weather.
According to the RSPB, the Ring-Necked Parakeet, hailing from West Africa, adapted to the cold. Some pet parakeets escaped from UK homes in the 1970s, resulting in a stable population.
This shows that some parrot species can adapt to chilly climes. Crucially, it’s a process that has occurred over time, and a single pet parrot released into the wild is unlikely to survive.
Also, parakeets come from Australia, where temperature variations are normal. Other parrots come from tropical climates, like equatorial Africa, where cold weather is virtually non-existent.
Temperature Too Cold for Parrots
The table documents the temperature range for parrot species:
| Parrot Species | Climate Zone | Bird-Safe Temperature | Coldest Temperature |
| Macaws | Tropics | 68-72 °F | 60 °F |
| African Grays | Tropics | 68-72 °F | 60 °F |
| Quakers | Tropics | 68-72 °F | 60 °F |
| Ring-Necked Parakeets | Temperate – Tropics | 65 – 75 °F | 40 °F |
| Budgerigars | Temperate – Tropics | 65 – 75 °F | 40 °F |
| Cockatiels | Temperate – Tropics | 65 – 75 °F | 40 °F |
| Lovebirds | Temperate – Tropics | 65 – 75 °F | 40 °F |
Amount of Cold Parrots Can Tolerate
Although some parrots can tolerate lows of 40F (4C), they should never live in these conditions.
If a parrot is exposed to low temperatures for more than 6 hours, it’ll become withdrawn. After 24 hours, this will adversely affect its metabolism and immune system, resulting in ill health.
For this reason, PDSA recommends a minimum temperature of 68F (20C) at all times. Keeping the temperature stable is advisable because highs and lows are uncomfortable.
Parrots Can Survive in The Cold Temporarily
If the temperature dips below 40-60F for an extended period, a parrot may not survive. Of course, it’s sensible to be cautious and keep the temperature at 65-72F.
Leaving the parrot’s cage in a drafty location with an open door or window is risky. Also, poor-fitting doors and open windows can let in drafts that reduce the ambient temperature.
How To Know If A Parrot Is Cold
Here are the signs a pet parrot feels cold:
Fluffed-up Feathers
A parrot will fluff up its feathers if it feels too cold. When a bird is too cold, fluffing up the feathers traps air, providing additional warmth.
Burying Beak in Chest
Tucking the beak into the feathers is common when parrots sleep and preen their feathers. However, a cold parrot may bury its beak in its chest to stay warm.
Squatting
A cold parrot will squat so its feathers cover its bare legs. Many parrots tuck one foot into their feathers, perching on the other leg. Then, they switch legs when the need arises.
Lethargy
Cold weather makes parrots feel sluggish. If a parrot stays in one place and barely moves when it’s ordinarily energetic, it likely feels cold.
Pooping Less
Parrots poop less in the winter, so witnessing less waste isn’t necessarily of concern. However, if a parrot is pooing less than usual, it could be because it’s too cold.
How Parrots Keep Warm
According to NCBI, taking a parrot’s temperature is invasive. So, it’s not recommended that the owners do so unless expressly advised by a veterinarian.
Use a digital infrared thermometer to check the temperature in their living environment.
Parrots have various ways of modulating their body temperature, including:
Eat More Food
According to The Parrot Society, parrots eat more food in colder temperatures. The extra food increases their metabolic rate, providing additional energy.
Winter brings fewer hours of sunlight, which is essential for vitamin D3 synthesis.
The body can’t absorb calcium without enough vitamin D3. Low calcium levels (hypocalcemia) will adversely impact parrots’ bones and eggs.
Find a Nesting Area
Provide insulating materials. If the room becomes drafty at night, the parrot can stay warm.
Huddling Together
Wild birds may huddle together to stay warm, especially if they have a bonded companion.
Avoid Cold Water
Even if a parrot seems happy bathing in cold water, it’ll be hard to warm up. This elevates the risk of hypothermia, so you should provide lukewarm water for bathing.
After it has finished bathing, pat the parrot dry, ensuring you don’t go against the grain of the feathers.
Hazards To Avoid When Keeping A Parrot Warm
Parrots have efficient respiratory systems that aid flight. Unfortunately, birds are vulnerable to many airborne toxins. For example, some electric and gas heaters emit dangerous fumes.
Never bring a parrot’s cage into the kitchen, even if it’s warmer than other areas of the home. There are dangers, ranging from Tefal cookware to toxic food ingredients like cooked onions.
Overheating the home causes dehydration. Small parrots are unlikely to survive 24 hours without water, and large parrots may not survive the next 72 hours.
Parrots need 10 hours of undisturbed sleep to stay healthy. You may need to move the cage to a warmer room. Temperatures fall after sunset, and many families turn down the central heating.
Squatting, feather puffing, shivering, eating more, and pooping less are signs a parrot is cold. Adjusting the temperature is recommended. Also, putting a blanket over the cage at night can block drafts.
