Pet birds, and actually all birds for that matter, are some of the smartest animals. But that doesn’t mean that any bird will be a good pet. Some of them, like parrots, are smarter than others and make the best feathered friends. Here’s a quick look at which birds you might want to consider as pets.
A roundup of the best pet birds
African Grey Parrot
African Greys are some of the most heavily studied species of pet birds and have proven to be very smart animals. One of the most famous African Greys was a pet called Alex, who was studied by his owner, Dr Pepperberg all his life. Before studies were done on Alex, most avian research was done on pigeons, which was rather disappointing. Alex showed the world what a bird brain was capable of, like learning over 100 words and having the intelligence of a 5-year-old. If you do decide to get an African Grey as a pet, please remember that these smart birds need a lot of mental stimulation in order to thrive.
Macaws
The intelligence level of macaws measures up to that of a human toddler. If you love kids, Macaws is definitely an excellent choice! These birds are problem solvers that are able to use tools to get things done. They also have high levels of communication with other birds and use sounds and physical changes, like blushing, to “talk” to other birds.
Budgies
One of the most popular species of pet birds is the humble budgie. Although most of us call them budjies, the correct term is actually parakeet. If you properly tame and care for them, budgies make for extraordinarily friendly and affectionate pets. They’re not only small and easy to care for, but budgies also take well to training and can learn to perform a range of fun tricks. Plus, they can learn to talk, delighting young and old with their cute and comical little voices.
Cockatiels
The cockatiel is a beautiful and captivating pet bird for anyone looking to own a friendly and affectionate feathered friend. These birds hail from Australia. They are awesome pets, especially when you hand feed them and raise them in loving environments. Although the cockatiel probably won’t learn to talk, he is still very intelligent. Most of them will learn to mimic common household noises like doorbells, telephones and microwaves. Since they’re quite small, cockatiels don’t need a lot of space like larger parrots, which makes them easy to care for.
Cockatoos
Cockatoos are larger than budgies but still provide a lot of affection and love towards their owners. These birds forge strong bonds with their owners and prefer to be with them at all times if possible. If you’re considering a cockatoo as a pet, you’ll need to give him a lot of attention and affection. These birds can easily become depressed if they don’t get enough attention and might resort to plucking or other destructive behaviour as a result.
