Birdcage

Antique (or antique-style) birdcages are often popular as collectors' items or as household decor but most are not suitable for housing live birds, being too small, improper shape, using unsafe materials or construction.

Smart birds, like parrots and crows, need secure latching mechanisms to prevent them from figuring them out, and often require toys and/or play-stands to keep them entertained.

Zinc coated cages or chicken wire could cause toxicity to parrots over a number of years.

Bird cages saw their earliest use in ancient Mesopotamia, Egypt, Persia, Greece, Rome, China, India, Babylon, among many others.

[citation needed] The Harz Mountain area in Germany became known for its unique style of birdcage, carving elaborate wooden cages resembling cuckoo clocks.

Captive birds were very much a status symbol, and were kept in wealthy households and courts throughout Western Europe, with especial patronage from monarchy.

The next large shift in style was during the Atomic Age, when plastic became the predominant material in mass-produces cages.

[8] In some countries, it is illegal to house a pet bird in a cage that does not permit it to spread its wings.