Can hummingbirds be kept as pets?

This is a very, very bad idea. First of all, if you live in the US all hummingbirds are on the CITES Appendix 2, and importation is illegal. There are no hummingbird breeders in the US offering birds to anyone but zoos. read more

There are no hummingbird breeders in the US offering birds to anyone but zoos. And it is illegal to own a native North American hummingbird as a pet. If you have never read A Hummingbird In My House you should. You will see how hard this was even for someone who had a large greenhouse for the bird to live in. read more

Hummingbirds are beautiful creatures with bright colors and distinctive wings that flutter very quickly. Although keeping a hummingbird is possible with the right size of structure and food sources, it is illegal to do so in many areas. In the United States, keeping a hummingbird as a pet violates the Migratory Bird Treaty Act of 1918. read more

A discussion on what makes a hummingbirds an excellent choices for a pet, even though they are illegal to keep. (Click on Hummingbirds to return to the main hummingbird page or on main site to browse 70 topics ranging from exotic kaleidoscope designs to the strange world of lucid dreaming.) read more