My family has decided to get our first bird. What are the best bird companions for first timers?

Question

My family has decided to get our first bird. What would be the best bird companion for first timers? We love birds, but would prefer an avian friend that will bond with us, and not just a finch, canary, or parakeet that looks pretty in a cage.

Answer 1

I don't know enough about the Pionus parrots as I've never owned one. They are said to be wonderful companions. They're on the smaller side and they're pretty decent noise-wise if you're in an apartment or can't stand constant screaming. They're shy birds that can learn to talk well. They're solid birds that come in several colorful species, including the blue headed and bronze winged Pionus. They're more expensive but are well worth the price.

Next come the conures. For a beginner bird keeper I'd go with the smaller species such as the Painted, fiery shouldered, Green cheek and maroon bellied conures. Even the Dusky conure is a decent place to start. If you like birds with a bit more attitude, Suns, Peach Fronts and Gold Caps are great birds! They're also louder with the exception of the Peach front. Peach fronts do share a conure's love for cuddling but they're not so hot on being touched and coddled. If you want a beginner's bird that loves cuddling and snuggling into your shirt, I'd go with a green cheek. They do have a reputation of being 'nippy' but it can be reduced with training and time. Most Green cheeks outgrow their nippy stage :-) .

Then there's cockatiels and budgies. Budgies are more playful and energetic than budgies but cockatiels are more hands on. They love their handling and shoulder time. Be warned - if you're eating and they're on your shoulder both species WILL steal food as you're lifting the spoon to your mouth! The good thing about these guys is that they're more affordable compared to the other species mentioned above. Most budgies are left untamed but if you can find a budgie breeder who handfeeds their birds, grab one! They're supposed to be one of the best bird companions out there! Cockatiel hens are very sweet and love to socialize more than cocks. Males do mimic/talk better than females but I've had a female who knew at least eight or nine different words. Handfed is almost always better, depending on how the bird was raised. Try to contact a local parrot breeder for handfed birds. Pet stores usually don't handle their birds as much as they should or they purchase from mass breeders.Most local breeders know what they're doing. To be sure, ask around for references.

There's the non parrot species such as canaries, doves, pigeons and quail. Canaries have a gorgeous song and can be finger trained. They're not as social as parrots but they have their unique charm that many people adore! Quail are living garberators. I have three Japanese Quail (Coturnix Japonica) that will shovel almost anything into their beaks, even if they've never seen it before. I get fresh eggs almost every day from my pair. They're fun to watch beat each other up though you have to watch that any males in the cage don't harass the hens too much as he does pluck the poor girls bald in his need to breed. If you get a quail, try to get two females or one male to two females.They require special feed to keep them in laying condition. They're like miniature chickens. They lay lay lay and require more protein and calcium than other bird species. The males have a wicked whip-lash type call that's a hoot to hear. The down side is that the males crow at 3 am and sometimes will NOT stop >.< !

Pigeons and doves are very social but breeders can be harder to find. They're very different from parrots in that they don't play quite as much and they're much quieter. They do enjoy human companionship. If allowed to free flight in the home they've been known to follow their owners from room to room, just as parrots and quail do. Roller Pigeons are known for their tumbling flight. Fan tailed Pigeons are incredibly decorative with huge V shaped tails. Ring necked doves are very sweet with a gentle call. They, too, come in a wide variety of domestically created colors.

That's a brief run down of different bird species available to first time bird owners. The bigger the bird the more noise you'll get, the bigger the poop and the farther the food flinging. They're a lot of fun though. My local parrot club likes to say birds are like potato chips. You can't just have one! I used to have 3 cockatiels. Now I have a flock of 11!

Answer 2

Get a young bird that is "hand-fed." This means the bird was fed by humans for a while before it was weaned; it will already have a bond with humans. I think the cockatiel is the easiest to get to bond with you, but a parakeet (budgie) can also be very good if it is hand-fed. If you want to go to the trouble, the closest bond is formed when you buy the baby bird shortly before it is weaned, and hand-feed it yourself. The most common way to obtain such a bird is through the breeder who will tell you how to hand-feed and wean the bird. They often advertise in the newspaper and elsewhere. Most pet-store birds are not hand-fed, or well socialized, but some are. You can always ask. Often cockatiels, if handled as babies, are very tame when weaned even if they are not hand-fed.
If you really want the bird for a companion with a strong bond to you, get only one bird and spend at least an hour a day with it. If you find that you can't regularly spend time with it, get it another bird.

Answer 3

If you're thinking of a larger bird, after you go through most people's list of concerns, like biting potential, noise, size and temperment, a hand-fed Pionus tops of the list. I had Grey first and I wouldn't trade him for the whole world. They're a little more complicated. The bonds that parrots make are very strong. Ours love tickles and belly rubs and raspberries on the chest (takes a lot of young training though, because those are areas birds aren't used to sharing in the wild). Conures are loud and sassy, but so funny and quick to learn. Quakers are cute and inexpensive, but they're loud and they're illegal in many states! Macaws sound like pteradactyls, and the largest ones can apply 800 lbs of pressure per square inch with their beaks, so even though big birds are usually the most gentle, they aren't apartment birds, and they may not be the best to have around children.

Come talk to some of the bird owners here about their different birds to find out what you're in for. They have all kinds and they know where to get great deals: http://www.tailfeathersnetwork.com/community/

Answer 4

A Meyers Parrot. They are a member of the Poicephalus family and are very similar to Senegals, only slightly smaller. I have two and they are the BEST! Very friendly and outgoing. Only drawback is that they can be startled easily and set into a phobia with movements that are too fast or sudden surprises. So if you get one, remember to never move too quickly around him/her at first.
Meyers are sweet parrots. Very pretty. Small. Good talkers and FANTASTIC at mimicry. They can any telephone/cellphone ring NOT the songs- just the ring tones), microwaves, doorbells, other bird song (such as Budgie, Sparrow, Cockatiel, Finch, Canary), and are not too noisy. Some of their whistles can be high pitched, but it's nothing compared to a Cockatoo scream. And I have one of those too. hahaha..
Anyway, it doesn't matter if you get a boy or a girl. Both sexes make excellent pets and great first time birds. They don't take up too much room either. Not much more than a Cockatiel.

Answer 5

I don't recommend getting a cockatiel if you don't want noise. I suggest getting an electus or African Grey. Budgies can get noisy at times but otherwise are really good birds. African Greys and Electus would be your best bet if you want a bird. On the good side of that those birds talk. And they have a very wide vocabulary if you teach them well.

Answer 6

parakeets do bond, very strongly and can learn to talk if kept as a single bird. If you are first time bird owners that would be my only recommendation unless you do some strong research into larger birds. Larger parrots need a lot of attention. They need someone home for a lot of the day or at least loads of toys and stimulation. Without intellectual stimulation they get bored and get ill, feather picking and refusing to eat. etc etc etc... so not as to bore you with too much detail... get a parakeet, they are awesome.. still love attention, need daily care, and bond with their human counterparts!

Answer 7

Cockatiel

Answer 8

I'd vote for a cockateil too. I used to raise them and handfed them from since they were 7-8 weeks old. They are darling and if you get a very young bird, it will bond with you. You can even adopt an older bird from petfinder.com that is tame. Just select bird and put in your zip code. Cockateils can live for 20-25 years if cared for properly, and they don't require much care. I have one right now that is close to 20 years old.

Answer 9

cockatiel!
I had a Cockatiel, she passed away recently, but she was such a great bird! Cockatiels are pretty inexpensive and easy to care for, but they do form a stong bond with their owners. They can put on quite a show, they can whistle and even talk a little.

Answer 10

I have a cockatiel - she is my second. She has bonded to me extremely well. I would suggest you get a cockatiel from a breeder - one that you have to feed pablum (sp?) to for the first week or so. I hand-fed mine for the first couple of weeks and they have been so attached. They are EXCELLENT pets - such personalities! If you have any questions, email me at [e-mail].

Good luck on your search for a new pet - I think it is great that you are doing research!!!