8 Best Small Pet Birds for Beginners that Talk (with pictures)
Best Small Pet Birds for Beginners That Talk
People of all ages can enjoy owning and caring for birds. Are you a beginner who wants to get a small bird that talks as a pet? If so, you are where you need to be.
Good things indeed come in small packages, and small pet birds that talk make great companions. They’re usually easier to take care of than most large bird species.
So, if you are a beginner, you should start with small to medium-sized birds (parrots) because they are easy to care for.
Here are the eight most common talking small pet birds for beginners that people will love to keep as pets.
Senegal Parrots
- Senegal Parrot
Characteristics
Common Name: | Senegal Parrot |
Scientific Name: | Poicephalus Senegalus |
SIZE: | small |
LIFESPAN: | 30 + years |
SOUNDS: | Vocal |
INTERACTION: | Social |
LEVEL OF CARE: | Beginner |
Senegal Parrots are the most popular Poicephalus small parrots bred and sold as small pet bird. These small parrots are beautiful and easily trained, frequently providing their owners hours of fun and enjoyment. Senegals are great small pet birds for beginners.
Senegals are entertaining small parrots with a wide range of characteristics. Senegal Parrots are often one-person birds who are affectionate with their preferred person.
Senegal parrots are healthy, strong little birds that can easily adjust to diverse situations. If you take good care of them, they will rarely get sick. Adequate care and a healthy environment are essential for a happy and healthy pet bird.
Even though they are good family pets, they will only bond with one person in the family, and this relationship will last a long life. All the others are in second place, and this moody bird will often bite, dive bomb, and be generally mean to them. Senegals can be mean if they don’t get what they want, so they might not be the best pet for a child. You’ll get to experience the attitude of a Senegal parrot. Try to be patient as you learn more about your little pet.
Feeding Your Senegal
Senegalese parrots are not picky eaters and will enjoy all types of good, nourishing meals, especially wholesome table foods. Start introducing them early to ensure that your bird takes to new foods immediately. Although Senegals tend to gain a little weight, they are naturally active birds and won’t gain weight if given proper activity and a healthy diet. Starting with a pelleted base diet and adding fresh fruit and vegetables is an excellent idea.
Pros Social, friendly, and happy to be handled. Smart and able to say a few words. It’s a quieter bird, so it shouldn’t bother nearby neighbors. | Cons It calls for a lot of concentration and mental stimulation. Most of the time, they are only good pets for one person. |
Budgerigars
- Budgerigar
Characteristics
COMMON NAME: | Budgerigar, budgie, parakeet |
SCEIENTIFIC NAME: | Melopsittacus Undulatus |
COLOR: | Green, Blue, White, Yellow |
SIZE: | Small |
LIFESPAN: | Up to 10 years sounds |
SOUNDS: | Whistler, Chatterer |
INTERACTION: | Social |
LEVEL OF CARE: | Excellent Starter Bird |
One of the most popular pets in the world is the budgerigar, Maybe because it’s a simple and cute little bird that’s perfect for beginners. Budgerigars come in a lot of different colors besides just yellow-green.
The budgerigar is a very smart, curious, kind, and loving bird that does very well when handled gently. It is a great friend, especially for older, more responsible kids. Budgies may act strangely if kept alone. At the same time, avoid excessive hugging or petting. Budgerigars aren’t as loud as other small parrots, but they still talk when they get together.
Small parrots can be challenging to train, but those who stick with it are often rewarded with birds that talk incessantly in human language. The budgie can also be taught to talk or step on your hand, and they often speak more clearly than other parrots and use more words.
Feeding Your Budgerigar
Your small pet bird can eat various vegetables, including spinach, green beans, broccoli, maize, peas, carrot, and herbs like mint, basil, parsley, and rocket. Budgerigars will readily consume weeds like dandelions, milk thistle, chickweed, and grasses in the seeding stage.
Converting some budgies from an all-seed diet to a tailored diet can be very challenging. An excellent substitute is a budgie seed mix with a millet foundation added with greens and herbs.
Pros Best pet bird for apartments. Best pet birds for kids. Compared to larger species, they create less mess. Affordable and consume less than larger parrots. They are very friendly birds and form strong bonds with their owners. | Cons If they’ve never been out of the cage, they might be nervous and hard to train. Budgies dislike loud noises. They’re easily sick and need attention. Budgies are loud and often shriek. |
Cockatiel
- An elegant Cockatiel
Characteristics
COMMON NAME: | Cockatiel, tiel, quarrion, weiro |
SCEIENTIFIC NAME: | Nymphicus hollandicus |
COLOR: | White, Gray, Yellow |
SIZE: | Small |
LIFESPAN: | Up to 20 years |
SOUNDS: | Whistler |
INTERACTION: | Social |
LEVEL OF CARE: | Easy |
The cockatiel, also called the weiro bird or quarrion, is a small parrot that lives only in Australia and belongs to its branch of the cockatoo family.
The cockatiel is an easy-to-care-for, low-maintenance pet bird for beginners. It’s a sweet and cuddly bird in need of love and care. The cockatiel will know when it can or cannot get attention if you stick to a consistent plan when it comes to its maintenance. Cockatiels should always be kept in pairs.
Let the bird out of its cage one or more hours a day. You should avoid caressing or stroking your pet. The cockatiel’s primary goal is to be in your company. So chat to it frequently, or at least tickle it occasionally. Teach the bird new tricks like getting it to tread on your hand.
In comparison to other parrots, cockatiels are a quiet bird. It is possible to teach them to whistle songs or imitate sounds, such as the sound of a doorbell. Learning words, on the other hand, is a lot harder.
Feeding Your Cockatiel
To stay active and healthy, cockatiels require a well-balanced diet.
They eat a range of seeds, including grass seeds, fresh and dry nuts, berries, and plants in their native Australia. , Their owners can feed cockatiels a diet consisting of grains, fruit, vegetables, and occasionally human food.
Seeds or pellets make up at least two-thirds of a cockatiel’s diet. The rest of the meal should consist of a variety of fresh foods.
Pros It’s enjoyable to train and play with this small parrot. They are small and don’t need much space to live happily. They form strong bonds with their human families. Good quiet pet birds for beginners. | Cons Long periods of isolation may cause them to grow overly dependent on each other. They cannot be fully trainable like other pets. |
Amazon Parrot
- Lovely Amazon
Characteristics
COMMON NAME: | Amazons |
SCEIENTIFIC NAME: | Amazona |
COLOR: | Green |
SIZE : | Medium |
LIFESPAN: | 30 +years sounds |
SOUNDS: | Vocal communicator |
INTERACTION: | Social |
LEVEL OF CARE : | Moderate Level |
The Amazon parrot is a popular pet, but it’s not the best type of bird to have as a pet for beginners. This bird has a lot of irrational and outgoing tendencies, so learning how to raise and care for these lovely birds is an excellent place to start.
It is the most advanced bird on this list for a beginner. A well-prepared amazon parrot can be a fiery and rebellious pet but also affectionate and loving if you know what to expect. If you hear a lot of bird songs in the morning or evening, don’t freak out.
The parrot may become bored and destructive if you leave it on its own, so keep an eye on it. So you’ll need to spend a lot of time playing with it, socializing with it, and teaching it how to behave positively. Aside from that, provide the bird with various cognitively challenging toys and rotate them frequently. You can’t let the Amazon parrot alone for long.
Pros Amazon parrots are friendly and fun pets. Amazon parrots are good pets for older kids . | Cons To be happy and healthy, they require a lot of mental stimulation and exercise. They are pretty loud birds. It is an advance pet bird for beginners. |
Macaw Parrot
- Macaw Parrot
Characteristics
COMMON NAME: | Macaw |
SCEIENTIFIC NAME: | Psittacidae |
COLOR: | Blue, Green, Red |
SIZE: | Large |
LIFESPAN: | 30 + years |
SOUNDS: | Vocal communicator |
INTERACTION: | Highly Social |
LEVEL OF CARE: | Moderate Level |
The macaw parrot is widely regarded as the most beautiful parrot in the world. The brightly colored feathers of the awe-inspiring bird undoubtedly draw attention, and it’s also brimming with life and character, which is a bonus.
Your macaw will perceive you as a flock member and build a close attachment with you if there are no other birds nearby. To keep the bird from becoming overly dependent on a single family member, it’s best to start socializing at a young age. When properly trained, it can develop into a friendly and best large bird for beginners.
When it comes to tricks, the macaw is ready to learn. This bird, despite its small vocabulary of five to ten words, is a chatterbox capable of making a lot of noise. When living in an apartment, it’s advisable to avoid this alternative and if you are sensitive to loud noises, another bird is preferable.
Feeding Your Macaw
There are various macaw species with differing dietary needs than other parrots. This is because they require a higher fat content in their food.
Their preferred seeds are peanuts and sunflower seeds, but they also like caches and almonds.
Macaws are omnivores, eating vegetables, fruit, and meat-like humans. Nevertheless, their diets tend to differ depending on whether they are in the wild or in captivity, but they often consume many of the same things in both situations.
Pros Inspiring and beautiful best large bird for beginners. It can mimic human speech and sound. Long life span. | Cons Screaming and screeching can be very loud. Requires two to four hours of physical and mental activity each day. |
Canary
- Beautiful Canary
Characteristics
COMMON NAME: | Canary |
SCEIENTIFIC NAME: | Serinus canaria domesticus |
COLOR: | Orange, Red, Yellow |
SIZE: | Small |
LIFESPAN: | Up to 10 years |
SOUNDS: | Chatterer, Whistler |
INTERACTION: | Hands off |
LEVEL OF CARE: | Easy |
The canaries are small talking birds that are highly renowned for their lovely song. The Canaries are kept as pets and adored for their singing ability.
It’s a low-maintenance bird with a devoted following of owners who appreciate its keen sense of observation. Because of this, they are fantastic choices for people who are searching for an observational bird that enjoys singing.
Canaries are friendly birds who adapt quickly to new environments. A healthy and lively canary will start hopping and chirping within hours of being moved or introduced to a new location.
The bird will become friendlier with you as you spend more time with it and this small pet bird doesn’t require much attention. They work effectively in groups as well as pairs.
Canaries are one of the best pet bird for beginner that talk. This small parrot is the option to consider if you want a bird that requires little care and attention.
Feeding Your Canary
You should feed your small parrot a variety of fruits and vegetables on a daily basis, including leafy greens, carrots, celery, and small amounts of apples, oranges, grapes, bananas and melons.
Offer pieces of a hard-boiled egg as an additional source of protein and your canary must always have access to clean, fresh water.
Pros A good starter bird that isn’t too pricey. A songbird with a lovely voice. If taught to do so, they’ll fly to you. | Cons Not a naturally friendly bird. A low-maintenance pet bird. A small cage is required. |
Love Birds
- Love Birds
Characteristics
COMMON NAME: | Love Birds |
SCEIENTIFIC NAME: | Agapornis |
COLOR: | Orange, Yellow, Blue, Green, |
SIZE: | Small |
LIFESPAN: | Up to 20 years |
SOUNDS: | Chatterer, Whistler |
INTERACTION: | Social |
LEVEL OF CARE: | Somewhat Moderate |
Lovebirds are popular pets and are ideal for first-time bird owners. Lovebirds differ from most pet birds in their nature, so it’s crucial to understand them before deciding if they’re the ideal species for you.
Lovebirds are excellent pets, but they can be more demanding and aggressive than parakeets or cockatiels. These are small parrots. They are classified as Psittaciformes, which includes all parrots.
The majority of lovebirds won’t stay tame until you spend time with them every day. Usually, it’s best to start with a hand-fed, fully weaned baby lovebird and spend time talking to it.
If you want to get close to your lovebird, it’s usually best to keep just one as a pet because when two lovebirds become close, they may be less friendly to a human.
Feeding Your Lovebirds
Lovebirds can eat the same mix of seeds as cockatiels, but the seeds should only make up a small part of their diet. A nutritious diet should be based primarily on fresh foods and pellets because they offer higher nutrition than seeds. Birds also need variety in their diets, so include healthy table foods, fruit, and vegetables that are acceptable for them to eat in their prepared meals.
Pros Lovebirds are very friendly and add beauty to home | Cons Lovebirds are sometimes biters. |
Pionus Parrot
- Blue-Headed Pionus Parrot
Characteristics
COMMON NAME: | Blue-Headed Parrot |
SCEIENTIFIC NAME: | Pionus |
COLOR: | Blue, Green, |
SIZE: | Medium |
LIFESPAN: | 30 years and up |
SOUNDS: | Communicator with voice |
INTERACTION: | Social |
LEVEL OF CARE: | Somewhat Easy |
The medium-sized Pionus parrots resemble the Amazon parrot in certain ways because of their stocky bodies, powerful, and short tail spatulas. Like other Pionus parrots, the Blue Headed Pionus is known for being independent while still being devoted to and intimately linked to its owners.
The Blue-Headed Pionus has been a popular pet for many years. Even though they aren’t “great talkers,” Pionus are known for being sweet, quiet, gentle, and playful, which, along with their beauty, makes them good pets.
Pionus are friendly, intelligent, and curious. Yes, Pionus parrots are suitable for beginners. They are less demanding than some parrots, and they have a variety of wonderful features. They are excellent pets, particularly in homes or other settings where noise might be an issue. In a caged environment, they, like other birds, tend to develop more connected to one human while still tolerating others with gentleness.
If they have been properly raised, they will respond readily to voice orders as they age.
Feeding Your Pionus Parrot
Generally speaking, Pionus parrots are excellent eaters. A high-quality seed mix should constantly be available to the Pionus parrot. Every day, there should be a wide range of fresh vegetables and fruits, like berries and apples, for your pet. The nutrients contained in natural food are always superior to those found in synthetic supplements. However, there are some high-quality pellet meals on the market, which are usually accessible at veterinarians.
Pros Nice-tempered and calm bird. Easy to form an emotional connection with its owner. Doesn’t make much noise.
| Cons Lovebirds are sometimes biters. |
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