Demography, husbandry practices, biosecurity and economic viability of pet bird farms in selected regions of Bangladesh: current status and future prospects

Abstract: Birds are the most fascinating creatures of nature. Any bird, except poultry, with high genetic value that can legally be reared in captivity is considered as ‘pet bird’. Keeping pet bird is one of the oldest hobbies of humans, and in Bangladesh it has recently became an emerging sector. Therefore, the present study evaluated the socio-economic characteristics, management practices, biosecurity, health issues, and economic performance of 45 pet bird farms in Bangladesh to know present scenario and potentials of this emerging sector. The majority of farmers were male (97.8%) and within the productive age group of 21–40 years (71.1%). Pet bird farming was the main occupation for 44.4% of respondents, and although education levels were relatively high (35.6% with bachelor’s and 26.7% with master’s degrees), only 6.7% had received formal training. Farm establishment increased sharply after 2016, with most farms being small-scale, indoor (44.4%) or rooftop (42.2%) units, none of which were registered. Species composition showed an equal distribution of mixed-bird farms (26.7%) and lovebird farms (26.7%), followed by parrot-dominated farms (20.0%). Nearly half of all farms maintained 100–250 birds. All the farmers relied on manual feeding and prepared their own feed. Reproductive performance was moderate, as 55.6% of farms reported clutch sizes of 5–7 eggs and 73.3% achieved hatchability rates of 70–90%. Disease outbreaks were widespread (95.6%), with cold (40.0%), diarrhoea (37.8%), and eye infections (31.1%) most frequently reported, though mortality rates E S H generally remained below 10%. Economic analysis revealed strong profitability. The average annual cost was 214,318±29,723 BDT, while net profit reached 538,268±141,221 BDT (p<0.0001). Most farms (73.3%) operated without hired labor, but those with higher initial investments (>500,000 BDT) achieved significantly greater profits (p<0.0001). In conclusion, pet bird farming in Bangladesh is a small-scale yet profitable enterprise with potential for expansion. Improved training, stronger biosecurity, and strategic investment could enhance its sustainability and contribution to rural livelihoods. 

Keywords: Pet bird, status, reproduction, health, biosecurity, economics