Here is a link that explains the good stuff about full spectrum fluorescent lighting.

I used to buy only Vitalights, 4-48 inch full spectrum for my birdroom ceiling. After receiving many broken ones via mail I discovered that WalMart and Home Depot have other brands of full spectrum tubes. Not quite as high in the color temperature and CRI as the excellent Vitalights, but the birds still seem to benefit from the less expensive ones I find locally. One brand is GE Sunshine tubes.  Those are at our WalMart. Home Depot's are another brand but I can't remember which one. They run from $15 to $20 per tube and the little 24 inch one in the holder is about $30 thru bird catalogs. Some local pet shops sell them for avian use but the aquarium bulbs are not the same.  Don't let them tell you they are the same.

 

As Birdlady said, sun coming thru windows filters the UV rays out of the light making only heat and no benefit to the birds.

Annie

Boy, that message of mine was weird. I left out stuff. If you are only lighting one cage, the 24 inch in the single fixture will hang on the wall behind the cage. It comes with a cord and plug. Bird catalogs have them and perhaps some pet shops will too.

Don't let the pet shop people tell you that aquarium lighting is good enough. It isn't.

Annie

males talk more than females and chirp alot. At least mine does!!

I also use a overhead lamp for mine!