One-bedroom apartment — Giving our tropical birds room to fly

Our small flock of four zebra finches lives together in a spacious indoor flight cage in our one-bedroom apartment.

To fit it properly, we removed a decorative shelving unit and moved the dining table. We chose a wide enclosure with an open flight path, rather than filling every available space with perches and decorations.

A washable floor protector underneath made cleaning easier, and multiple feeding spots reduced squabbles over breakfast.

We placed the enclosure away from kitchen fumes, draughts and harsh direct sun. We lost a shelf full of ornaments, but gained a much more entertaining view from the sofa.