Many people keep their pet birds in the kitchen. It's a natural gathering place for family, friends – and pets. But bird owners should be aware that there are potential dangers in the kitchen, too. Cooking fumes, smoke and odors that have little or no effect on people can seriously sicken and even kill birds, often quite quickly. Below are some safety tips to keep your feathered friends safe.

1. Always keep your pet bird out of the kitchen while cooking.
Many veterinarians urge pet owners to keep their birds in a room other than the kitchen. But if the kitchen is your bird’s favorite place, always move it to another room before cooking.

2. Never leave heated cookware unattended.
Sadly, bird fatalities can result when both birds and cooking pots or pans are left unattended in the kitchen – even for just a few minutes. Cooking fumes from any type of unattended or overheated cookware, not just non-stick, can damage a bird's lungs with alarming speed. This is why you should always move your birds out of the kitchen before cooking.

3. Never preheat your cookware on high heat.
If accidentally overheated, non-stick cookware can emit fumes that may be harmful to birds, as can any type of cookware preheated with cooking oil, fats, margarine and butter. This is why you should always move your birds out of the kitchen before cooking.

4. Always turn on the exhaust fan or open a window before cooking.
It's important to make sure that your kitchen is properly ventilated. In addition to cooking fumes, birds are highly sensitive to a variety of other fumes such as: aerosol sprays, non-stick sprays, perfumes, any source of smoke, pesticide sprays, glue, paints, self-cleaning ovens and cooking gas.