Is Hardware Cloth Safe for Birds?

Hardware Cloth for Aviaries

• If you are intending to use hardware cloth to enclose your aviary or bird cage, care must be taken to choose cloth that is coated in plastic. Hardware cloth is typically made using zinc to prevent rusting and increase durability. Zinc poisoning can be a serious condition for birds, especially shell parakeets, Budgerigars and Cockatiels.

Hardware Cloth for Bird Exclusion

• If you are attempting to keep birds away from an ornamental tree or shrub, hardware cloth of sufficient gauge is a good method when deployed properly. Care must be taken to not leave any openings small enough for the smallest native birds to squeeze through or become trapped. Wire seams carefully closed using similar gauge wire to your hardware cloth, and inspect frequently for damage.

Hardware Cloth for Bird Feeders

• Hardware cloth for a bird feeder should be plastic coated or otherwise manufactured from a material other than galvanized steel. Galvanized steel hardware cloth will not rust but will exude zinc into the bird seed and may make wild birds ill when they feed. Aluminum cloth or other metal cloth dipped in acrylic will work well to allow birds to pick at individual seeds and will not leech into the food, causing illness.

Indoor Bird Enclosure

• If you are using hardware cloth for an indoor bird enclosure, the material should be purchased from a pet store or aviad supplier and be rated specifically for the intended application. Different species of birds have different beak strengths and some can strip plastic coating from hardware cloth and reach the galvanized steel core. Check with your veterinarian or avian breeder to find out what material is suitable for your pets.