It’s no surprise many who are interested in adopting pet birds want to ensure that the one they get is low maintenance, friendly and will eventually become a well-suited pet. Having a pet that is affectionate and friendly will make taking care of it easier, hassle-free and worthwhile. If you’re thinking of getting a bird for a pet, here is a list of birds you can own legally.
Friendly Pet Birds That Make Fantastic Companions
1. Budgies
Considered one of the most popular pet birds in the world, the little budgie bird ranks behind dogs and cats. Moreover, this friendly and affectionate bird is affordable and small, making it easy to take care of.
Characteristics: Can mimic human speech, friendly, cute, charming companion for bird lovers
2. Cockatiel Pet Birds
Cockatiels are members of the cockatoo family endemic to Australia. These captivating and intelligent pet birds make perfect companions because they’re cuddly, comical, and outgoing. In fact, the cockatiel is the No. 1 pet bird in America.
Scientific Name: Nymphicus hollandicus
Characteristics: Affectionate, friendly, intelligent, can mimic household sounds like doorbells and telephones
3. African Grey Parrots
African Grey parrots are beautiful, intelligent, and talkative birds. They’re one of the friendliest pet birds in the world. Did you know that this bird can memorize vocabularies of up to 1,000 words?
Scientific Name: Old World Parrot / Psittacus erithacus
Characteristics: Friendly, can live for a long time, very intelligent, need plenty of mental stimulation in order to stay happy and healthy
4. Love Birds
Who doesn’t know about love birds as great pet birds? These amazing creatures are favorite pets for bird enthusiasts. They are petite, bright-plumed parrots and are famous for being beautiful and intelligent. However, the main difference between them and other parrot types is although they can mimic human speech, they rarely decide to talk at all.
Scientific Name: Agapornis
Characteristics: Friendly, affectionate, not talkative, very active and extremely social
5. Cockatoos
If you prefer a larger bird, but want it to be affectionate and friendly, the cockatoo is perfect for you. This beautiful pet bird bonds very strongly with its owners. Before you decide you want this as a pet, make sure you have plenty of time to spend playing and socializing with your bird. These birds can become depressed if they are not given the time and attention they need.
Scientific Name: Cacatuidae
Characteristics: Friendly, very loving, need much attention and love, can become stressed and depressed if they’re not given the attention, love to scream
6. Macaws
Hybrid Macaws.
Instagram: akhil.kithu#macaws #bird #colourful #parrot #picoftheday #photography #beautiful #nature pic.twitter.com/foISXvrLck— Akhil Kithu (@AkhilKithu) June 13, 2017
The largest and most popular of the parrot family, macaws have been kept as pets for hundreds of years. Basically, they’re lovable and loyal to their owners.
Scientific Name: New World parrots / Ara macao
Characteristics: Has sweet disposition, easy going, social, loyal, and intelligent
7. Conures
#dusky #Conures moving into their first cage today. So exciting! Two still available pic.twitter.com/hs11BUrQlb
— World of Birds (@worldofbirds_nj) May 23, 2017
Conures are famous pet companions because they’re comical and spunky. Along with their colorful and eye-catching colors, they have colorful personalities, too. They are small to medium in size and have long tail feathers.
Scientific Name: Aratinga solstitialis
Characteristics: Comical, playful, cuddly, and loud
8. Pionus Parrots
Pionus parrots are naturally quiet, compared to their fellow parrots. They’re not a very popular pet bird companion. However, they are affectionate and sweet.
Scientific Name: Pionus
Characteristics: Most gentle pet birds, affectionate, quiet, soft-spoken, and calm
9. Pigeons And Doves
It’s no wonder pigeons and doves make good and friendly bird pets. Seen as symbols of love and peace across the globe, these birds are peaceful, calm, and gentle. Generally, the terms “pigeons” and “doves” are used somewhat interchangeably.
Characteristics: Gentle, calm, sweet-tempered, and good-natured
10. Zebra Finches
Finches are considered one of the more gentle types of birds. Thus, they’re perfect for pets. Finches are also ornamental birds who are not handled at all.
Scientific Name: Taeniopygia guttata
Characteristics: Gentle, not handled at all, and males are enthusiastic singers
Making a list of the friendliest pet birds does not end here. Here’s one more – the Amazon parrot:
Pet birds are wonderful companions, just like our dogs and cats. They need your care, love, and attention, too! Believe it or not, these intelligent creatures make good trainable pets, and you’ll be surprised by how good they are.
If you also want to take care of other pets, check out this article 10 Best Small Dogs For Kids.
Are you thinking of getting a pet bird? Let me know which one you chose in the comments section below!
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