Spring Painting and your Bird

Got the spring cleaning bug?  Having the urge to do some freshening up which might include painting a wall or a room?

Plan carefully to avoid any dangers to your bird.  To understand why birds are so sensitive to anything in the air including odors of cleaners and paint, let's take a quick look into how a bird's unique respiratory system works.

Birds are very different than us and their respiratory system is much more complex.  Air enters through the bird's nares, then passes through the sinuses, and then into the throat.  There is a small slit in the roof of a parrot's mouth called the choana which helps clean and warm the air taken in.  Then the air passes on through the larynx and trachea and into the bronchi, then the lungs, and onto the air sacs.  Now these air sacs reach all the way into the bones of the bird which helps with flight, but also means that anything the parrot breaths in, reaches far into the bird's body.

Dr. Greg Harrison, an Avian Veterinarian, explains that when a bird breathes in, some of the air is sent from the lungs to the air sacs.  When the bird breathes out, air passes from the air sacs back through the lungs a second time.  This means that each breath is basically sent through the bird's body twice so they take in twice as much of any toxin as we would.

According to Dr. Gregory Burket, an Avian Veterinarian, a parrot's respiratory system means the inhaled air stays in the bird's respiratory system longer, therefore making any toxin inhaled stay longer and cause more damage more quickly to the bird.

So, if you are planning on doing some painting this spring, removing your bird from the home before you begin and for a minimum of 48 hours after completion is the best idea.  If that's simply not possible, make sure your bird is as far away from the area being painted as possible.  Make sure windows in the painted room are open and the area is well ventilated.  Closing the room door and even laying a towel at the bottom of the doorway for extra containment helps.


There are more and more paints that say 0% VOC (volatile organic compounds) or low VOC.  When searching for the safest paints, try to find both “Zero-VOC” and “Non-Toxic”, using a “Zero-VOC” tinting system for adding colorant.  Labels that clearly state safe for babies, safe for people with asthma or respiratory problems are better to use.  Doing your homework before you begin, will help everyone stay healthy and happy.