So many Budgies have their light strictly controlled by their owners. This can manifest in 2 ways for pet Budgies, 1. Covering them & leaving them in darkness before dusk or 2. Preventing them from being in darkness by having artificial light after dusk. There may be rare exceptions to controlling light, but if not directly instructed to do so for medical reasons by an avian vet, we really need to move away from micromanaging their light.
I have allowed my Birds to live according to their natural rhythms for many years now & it has transformed their health, happiness & activity levels. My flock don’t have ‘bedtime’, are not covered over & not exposed to large amounts of artificial light. The natural light levels outside govern when my Birds fall asleep & when they wake up, just like they do in nature. This has had a profound effect on their behavior & has increased both their contentment & confidence. I never thought it would make such a difference to give them autonomy & let the light in.
We are often told that our Birds MUST have a ‘bedtime’ & be covered over for so many hours, but that’s not how it works. In nature, Birds fall asleep at dusk with the reduction of light & wake at dawn. They need no controlling figure to bark “BEDTIME!” & throw a black cloth over them so they sleep for hours convenient to humans. A study titled ‘Diurnal cycle, Behavior and Social Organization of the Budgerigar Melopsittacus undulatus’ conducted in 1980 on wild Budgies noted how the wild Budgies in eastern Australia follow the natural rhythm of sunrise & sunset “daily activity began about sunrise and ceased during dusk”. This is exactly what we should allow pet Budgies to do.
The trouble with covering- Often portrayed as an essential part of a Budgie’s evening routine & foolproof prevention of night frights, covering the cage is not perfect. Owners often cover the cage before dusk or after dark when bright artificial light floods the room, either way the Budgie is not experiencing the natural, gradual light change that they need to feel restful. It goes from light or bright artificial light to darkness instantly, this is not natural. Another issue is that owners rarely remove covers before dawn, meaning the gradual light of dawn is also missed, along with when they should be starting their activity. Their body rhythms are completely out of sync. What about night frights? – My flock used to have regular, severe night frights when covered, every time I thought about not covering them, people would say, “you think that’s bad, you should see how bad they would be without the cover!”
This horrified me & I was put off for several years. When I did try leaving off the cover, something amazing happened… they stopped having them! In most rooms (where the individual Birds need it) there is a very low source of light (like moonlight) that doesn’t keep them awake, but allows them to see enough if unsure, this changed everything! The best light is a VERY low light sensitive night light. As it gets dark, the night light switches itself on & as the sun rises it switches itself off. The light is a very low, non- disturbing glow. No covering up won’t help every Bird with night frights, but for my angels it did.
The trouble with artificial light after dusk- Domestic Budgies, just like wild ones, need to experience the natural fading of the light. Artificial light is bright & disturbing for them. When a Budgie is flooded with bright light, they don’t know what time of day or night it is, which can really disturb their sleep, Birds who don’t have enough dark can become frustrated & grumpy, just like if you stay up too late. Some covers for cages may block out daylight, but bright artificial light may get through & still keep them awake.
For me, it is absolutely vital to give my angels a life that is as natural, wholesome & enriching as possible. Allowing them to live in accordance with their natural light rhythms is a huge part of this. When I started letting them see the light, I never imagined how much it would change things for them. It may be convenient for a Budgie to be covered in the evening so they silently let you watch TV or at dawn so they are silent & never get to sing, but convenience isn’t always what will help them shine.
It may not be the answer for everyone, but it’s certainly worth thinking about.