Birds in an apartment: how to manage noise and the neighbours?
Published by Planète Pets · managing editor: Clément Lacaille · how our guides are written
Keeping a bird in a flat is entirely possible: budgies, canaries and zebra finches produce a chatter that rarely carries through walls, unlike large parrots whose calls carry for dozens of metres. The key to good neighbourly relations comes down to three points: choosing the species well, preventing boredom — the leading cause of screaming — and placing the cage carefully.
Contents · 5 sections
Which species suit shared walls?
- Quiet: zebra finches, canaries, budgerigars — a light background sound, comparable to a conversation.
- Moderate: cockatiels, lovebirds — occasional sharper calls, acceptable overall.
- Houses only: conures, cockatoos, macaws, African greys — their calls exceed 90 dB.
Our comparison budgie or cockatiel factors in this noise criterion for beginners.
Why does a bird scream, and how do you prevent it?
Normal vocalising is concentrated at sunrise and sunset: ten to twenty minutes of healthy expression, impossible and pointless to suppress. Problem screaming, on the other hand, stems from boredom, loneliness or unintentional reinforcement (rushing over when the bird calls). The answers: a companion bird, daily foraging, flight time, and ignoring contact calls while rewarding calm. If screaming has set in, an avian vet should first rule out a medical cause.
Which arrangements reduce the noise heard?
Place the cage against a non-party wall, away from open windows; rugs, thick curtains and bookcases absorb the high frequencies. Establish 10 to 12 hours of night in a dark room or under a cover (10 to 20 €): a well-rested bird screams less, and your neighbours sleep. Avoid the balcony in summer: calls carry far more outdoors than indoors. More layout ideas in the housing and habitat section.
What does the law say about birds and neighbours?
In France, a landlord cannot ban pets in a rental property (law of 9 July 1970), birds included. However, the rules on abnormal neighbourhood disturbance apply: repeated, intense and lasting noise can be sanctioned. Get ahead of it: tell your neighbours, invite them to meet the bird — early contact defuses almost every conflict.
Frequently asked questions
Do two budgies make twice the noise of one?
No: they chatter to each other instead of calling out for you; a balanced duo is often quieter than a lone, frustrated bird.
Does a cover on the cage silence a bird during the day?
No, and covering a bird to silence it is deprivation, not a solution: treat the cause (boredom, loneliness) rather than the symptom.
How loud does a budgie get?
Around 60 to 70 dB at peak from one metre away — the volume of a lively conversation, rarely audible next door.
An accessory from our shop for this use: Bendable multicolour cotton rope perch, 40 cm (€21.90) · the whole shop
This guide is part of Planète Pets’s Birds universe. Our advice is general in nature: for any health concern, your veterinarian remains the only reference.
