Written by the Birdsville team. Last updated October 2026.

Bringing home a new bird is exciting, but how you introduce it to your other birds and pets can make the difference between a happy flock and a sick or injured bird. This guide explains how to quarantine a new bird, how to soft release it safely, how to help stressed birds settle, and which bird species can and can’t be kept together.

With any new arrival, we recommend keeping your bird isolated from other animals in the house for at least 4 weeks. This gives your new bird time to settle and gives your resident animals time to get used to it before any direct contact happens.

Several different species of pet birds sharing a mixed aviary
With enough space and the right species, different birds can live together happily

On This Page

  • Introducing a New Bird to Your Household
  • How to Quarantine a New Bird
  • Soft Releasing a New Bird
  • Can You Keep Different Bird Species Together?
  • How Do You Know If Bird Species Are Compatible?
  • Calming Stressed or Aggressive Parrots With B-Calm
  • Products to Help New Birds Settle In
  • Frequently Asked Questions

Introducing a New Bird to Your Household

If you already have birds and plan to introduce a new one to a friend or a flock, doing it properly matters for several reasons. Placing a new arrival straight into a cage with a resident bird can be a disaster. If the resident bird is aggressive or protective of its space, the newcomer could be attacked. Baby birds are especially vulnerable, because they can’t stand up for or defend themselves. With an adult newcomer, it could go either way, depending on whether either bird is aggressive by nature.

Disease is the other big risk. The new arrival could be carrying something and pass it on to your existing birds, or the other way around.

Why Stress Makes New Birds Vulnerable

A young bird’s immune system is still developing, and the stress of moving to a new home weakens it further. If that stressed bird is then put in with a resident bird that looks perfectly healthy but is actually a carrier, it can become seriously ill.

Many birds carry germs without showing any symptoms at all. When any bird becomes stressed, its immune system drops, and it can fall ill from something a healthy immune system would normally fight off. The risk is even greater for baby birds. To read more about stress and disease, see our Common Bird Illnesses guide (https://birdsville.net.au/common-bird-illnesses/).

How to Quarantine a New Bird

Keep your new bird away from your other birds for at least 4 weeks. During that time, a few simple habits greatly reduce the risk of anything passing between them.

  • Keep the new bird in a separate room where possible, ideally without shared airflow.
  • Use separate food bowls, water containers and cleaning tools for each space.
  • Always look after your resident birds first, then the new arrival, and wash your hands thoroughly in between.
  • Book your new bird in with an avian vet during quarantine. A check-up can pick up parasites or infections early, before they’ve had a chance to spread.
  • Add Vetafarm Spark Liquid to the water for the first few days to give your new bird electrolytes and energy while it recovers from the move.

If your new bird is carrying something, you’re very likely to see signs of it during this period.

Soft Releasing a New Bird

Soft releasing is the safest way to introduce a new bird, and it’s the same method I used when I worked as a zoo keeper. Instead of putting the newcomer straight in with your other birds, you house it in its own cage right next to them, or inside the aviary, so they can see and hear each other but can’t get to each other.

Over the following weeks, the birds get used to each other’s sight, sound and routine without any risk of a fight. By the time you open the cage and let the new bird out, it isn’t a stranger any more. The resident birds already know it, so they tend to carry on as normal instead of treating it as an intruder and harassing it. In the zoo, we’d see animals that had been soft released settle in calmly, while animals put straight together often fought.

How to Soft Release a New Bird

  1. Finish the 4 week quarantine first, so you know your new bird is healthy.
  2. Place the new bird in a holding cage beside your bird’s cage, or hang it inside the aviary, where the birds can clearly see each other but can’t touch.
  3. Leave them side by side for about 2 weeks, or longer if either bird still seems stressed or aggressive.
  4. Watch their behaviour. Calm interest, eating normally and relaxed calls are good signs. Lunging, chasing along the wire or constant alarm calls mean they need more time.
  5. When they’re relaxed, open the holding cage and let the new bird come out on its own, ideally in the morning so you can watch them for the day.
  6. Make sure there are several feeding and water stations and places to retreat, so no bird can guard the food.

Birdsville stocks a range of holding, hospital and carry cages that are ideal for soft releasing (https://birdsville.net.au/carry-cages/).

Soft releasing also protects your new bird’s health. The holding cage gives it time to recover from the stress of the move and build up its immune system before it shares space with your other birds.

What If the Birds Still Don’t Get Along?

Some birds are stubborn and take longer to accept each other. Even after they’re released, keep a close eye on them. If one bird is aggressive, put the newcomer back in the holding cage for another week or two, and try socialising them outside the cage somewhere unfamiliar to both birds, such as the lounge room. Neutral ground helps them grow comfortable with each other over time.

Can You Keep Different Bird Species Together?

The idea of mixing different species in the same cage or aviary is nearly as old as keeping birds.

Mixing species is genuinely complex, and there are no foolproof rules, because every bird is an individual and can be unpredictable. Birds that are normally placid can become aggressive in the wrong circumstances, while species known for aggression can sometimes live in harmony in a mixed collection.

Bigger Spaces Mean Fewer Problems

The larger the cage or aviary, the fewer the problems. In a big enough space, you can house a number of different species together, even large parrots. If one bird is aggressive, the bird being picked on needs to be able to escape to part of the aviary where it won’t be harassed. The smaller the aviary, the more carefully you need to choose which birds go in it.

Combinations to Avoid

In the average small backyard aviary, keeping parrots such as Indian Ringnecks with budgies is very unwise. Ringnecks can be aggressive and would likely kill the budgies in a short time. That said, all birds are individuals, and some unusual pairings can work well even in a small cage. My own pet birds at home are a Quaker and a Caique.

A few other combinations are worth flagging:

  • Lovebirds are best kept as a single bonded pair or with other lovebirds. They’re well known for being territorial and can turn on cage mates of any species.
  • Hookbill parrots, even small ones, have a strong bite, so take extra care housing them with birds that aren’t parrots.
  • Budgies and finches are best kept apart. Even though they’re a similar size, budgies can be surprisingly aggressive towards finches.
  • Avoid new introductions during breeding season, when even easygoing birds become territorial and defensive.

Mixing Finches

Different finch species are commonly mixed and bred together successfully, because many naturally flock with other species in the wild. Most finches live well alongside other types, but a few semi antisocial finches will attack and harass other species, sometimes fatally. Read our Mixing Finches guide before choosing species for a mixed finch aviary.

How Do You Know If Bird Species Are Compatible?

Whether your goal is a beautiful display aviary or successful breeding, housing your birds with compatible species is critical for their health. Here’s what to check.

  • Size: keep similarly sized birds together, especially parrots. A big parrot can turn on a smaller one overnight and kill it with a single bite.
  • Temperament: research each species, as some are naturally placid and others quite aggressive.
  • Diet: some birds have very different nutritional needs, such as nectar feeding lorikeets and seed eating finches. Housing birds that eat a similar diet makes feeding everyone properly much easier.
  • Age: young birds introduced at a similar life stage usually adapt more easily than adult birds meeting for the first time.
  • Setup: in any shared aviary, provide several feeding and water stations spread across the space, plus plants or visual barriers, so less confident birds always have somewhere to retreat and feed without a fight.

Calming Stressed or Aggressive Parrots With B-Calm

Moving house, meeting new birds and sharing an aviary can all be stressful, and a stressed parrot is more likely to become aggressive, pluck its feathers or fall ill. Vetafarm Parrot B-Calm Pellets (https://petsville.com.au/products/vetafarm-parrot-b-calm-pellets-350g) are a complete parrot diet designed to help.

How B-Calm Works

B-Calm contains added L-tryptophan, an amino acid that the body uses to make serotonin, the brain chemical that helps keep mood calm and settled. It also includes a full range of vitamins and minerals, plus turmeric. Vetafarm describes it as non-drowsy and non-sedative, so your bird stays alert and active, and it’s suitable for long-term use.

When to Use B-Calm

B-Calm may help parrots that show signs of stress or anxiety, such as:

  • Aggression towards other birds or people
  • Feather plucking or chewing
  • Pacing, head swinging or shaking
  • Changes in calls or more screaming than usual
  • Hiding or a drop in appetite

It’s especially useful when you’re introducing a new parrot, mixing species in an aviary or moving birds to a new home. Start feeding it during quarantine so it’s already part of the diet by the time the birds meet.

How to Feed B-Calm

Feed B-Calm as the main part of the diet, around 80%, with the rest made up of fresh fruit and vegetables and fresh water always available. Each bird needs at least 10% of its body weight in pellets a day. For example, a 90g cockatiel needs about 9g and a 300g galah about 30g. Switch over gradually by mixing it with your bird’s current food.

B-Calm works best alongside good management, not instead of it. Give birds enough space, several feeding stations and places to retreat, and never rely on it to make incompatible species safe together. B-Calm is made for parrots, not finches or doves.

Products to Help New Birds Settle In

These products help keep new birds healthy during quarantine and introductions. All are available in-store at Birdsville and online at Petsville.

Good nutrition is one of the best ways to keep a stressed bird’s immune system strong. Our Birdsville Blends are made fresh on site and packed with high nutrient extras like chillies, pumpkin, legumes, dried fruits, dried vegetables and herbs. Our Seed Enhancer (https://petsville.com.au/products/birdsville-blend-mixed-veg-seed-enhancer) adds the same goodness to any seed mix. Learn more on our Birdsville Blends page (https://birdsville.net.au/birdsville-blends/).

New Avian Introductions and Mixing Species: Frequently Asked Questions

How long should you quarantine a new bird?

We recommend isolating a new bird from your other birds and animals for at least 4 weeks. This gives it time to recover from the stress of the move and lets you watch for any signs of illness before introducing it to your resident birds, protecting both the newcomer and your existing flock.

Should a new bird see a vet before being introduced?

Yes, ideally within the first week of quarantine. A vet check during isolation can catch parasites or infections before they spread to your resident birds, and gives you a clear record of your new bird’s health. If anything unusual turns up, your vet can advise on extending the quarantine period.

What is soft releasing and why is it important?

Soft releasing means housing a new bird in its own cage next to or inside the aviary, so the birds can see and hear each other but can’t touch. After a couple of weeks they’re used to each other, so when the newcomer is released, the resident birds treat it as familiar instead of attacking it.

Can budgies be kept with Indian Ringnecks?

It’s not recommended. Indian Ringnecks can be aggressive towards smaller, more docile birds, and budgies are especially at risk in a shared cage or aviary. While every bird is an individual, this combination has a real history of ending badly, so it’s best avoided rather than left to chance.

Can different finch species live together?

Yes, in many cases. Finches naturally flock with other species in the wild, and different finch species are commonly mixed and bred together successfully. A few semi antisocial finch species will attack and harass others, though, so research the specific species you’re considering before mixing them in one aviary.

What should you consider before mixing bird species in an aviary?

Look at size, temperament and diet. Similarly sized birds are safer together, as a larger parrot can seriously injure or kill a smaller one. Research each species’ usual temperament, and choose birds with similar diets so feeding everyone properly is easy. Give them plenty of space and several feeding stations.

Can anything help calm an aggressive parrot?

Yes. Vetafarm Parrot B-Calm is a complete pellet diet with added L-tryptophan, which the body uses to make serotonin, a brain chemical linked to calm behaviour. It isn’t a sedative, so birds stay alert. It works best alongside plenty of space, several feeding stations and a slow, careful introduction.

Need Help Introducing a New Bird?

Birdsville has been helping Sydney bird keepers since 1985. We’re a small business that does things in a big way, and our team is always happy to talk you through quarantine, soft releasing and which birds will get along.

Visit us at 684 Botany Road, Alexandria NSW 2015, on the corner of Gardeners Road, servicing the Eastern Suburbs and Inner South Sydney, or call (02) 9669 1766. Shop health care products and Birdsville Blends online at Petsville (https://petsville.com.au/collections/health-care) with delivery Australia-wide.

Follow us on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/BirdsvilleRosebery/), Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/petsvillesydney/) and TikTok (https://www.tiktok.com/@birdsvillepets) for live updates and new arrivals.

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