Birds were the first pets to have their own full lines of products. It was easy to start a bird food business. All it took was promotional packaging and a steady supply of seeds. Shopkeepers mixed and sold tonics, ointments, insecticide powders, and special foods by the 1840s. By the 1870s, some bird lovers invented special equipment for bird cages, including gravel mats for cage bottoms, "elastic' perches, awnings to protect birds from direct sun, and bathing and feeding dishes. By the early 1900s, bird importers and even condiment companies created bird supplies and promoted them with national advertising.

Going National - Bird-product companies were the first to create brand names and pay for national advertising. By the 1930s, some companies even put out recordings and broadcast radio programs of singing canaries, accompanied by music.

French's Parakeet Treat advertisement 
The R.T. French Company, 1950s

Home Comforts for Feathered Family Members - Bird owners invested in other products to keep their pets happy and healthy. They also decorated cages with ornamental feeders and covers to make them an attractive part of home décor.

Bird cage cover
American, 1950s