Cockatiels (Nymphicus hollandicus)
The Cockatiel was first discovered in Australia in 1770.
In the wild, you’ll see immense flocks of cockatiels circling the sky in search of large bodies of water where they can rest, breed, and escape from the Australian heat. Cockatiels are very sociable birds and will get depressed if they are left alone for long periods of time. They may hit their heads against cages, pull their feathers, refuse to eat, or become angry. It’s best to get a pair of cockatiels if you know you’ll be out of your house for long periods of time.
The cockatiel life span can reach up to 25 years, though the standard is 15 years. This life span is based on proper care, nutrition and environment where your cockatiel lives. Drafty areas in your house can be very bad for your cockatiel, it can even kill yout bird by making your it very sick. Don’t place the cage where there might be a direct or indirect draft like air conditioning vents.
Cockatiels are more inclined to whistle than talk. Male cockatiels are more likely to talk than females, and some can learn to speak a few words or phrases.
Females are more aggressive and they are more likely to hiss and bite. If you put a mirror in the cage, a female looses its interest faster than a male. Male cockatiels are better at parenting. While the mothers are responsible for hatching the eggs and caring for the newborn chicks, the male cockatiel doesn’t fly off and abandon them, either. In fact, they are quite protective of their family, and in the wild, will face much larger birds and predators just to keep them safe. They are also nurturing and affectionate with their young. In cases when the mother cockatiel was killed, or injured, the father quite capably steps in and assumes all the parenting duties.
Echo parakeet (Psittacula eques) and Ringneck parakeets (Cateau)
Ringnecks originate from Asia and Africa and are available in shades ranging from bright yellows, greens, and blues, to albinos.
The echo parakeet is one of just nine surviving bird species that are found only on Mauritius. The echo is similar to the common Indian ring-necked parakeet found in North American pet stores but larger and a darker shade of green. Adult males and recently fledged young have red beaks, while adult females have black beaks. Echo parakeets feed almost exclusively on native trees, eating buds, shoots, leaves, flowers, seeds, bark, sap and especially fruit. They remain together in pairs throughout the year and may be seen feeding each other in courtship rituals for much of that time. The breeding season is in spring. Echoes lay 1–3 eggs and incubate them for 23–26 days. Chicks fledge about 60 days after hatching.
Though not all species of parrot are capable of talking, the Indian Ringneck parakeet is generally an excellent talker. Individual Ringnecks have been known to learn up to 250 words, making the breed an excellent choice for owners who want a talking bird. It is, however, important to understand that even though the species is quite capable of talking, not every Ringneck will learn to mimic human speech.
Because they are so smart, Ringnecks get bored very easily, and will often resort to chewing and other destructive behavior if left to their own devices.
You can feed the captive birds a nutritionally balanced pelleted diet, but a ringneck will appreciate a variety of fruits and vegetables in their diet. Leafy greens and vegetables are crucial for any companion parrot for a nutritionally sound diet and the ringneck parrot is no exception. As with all birds, food and water containers should be emptied, cleaned, and refilled daily to reduce the risk of bacterial growth and infection.
Canary (Serinus canaria)
This bird is originated, as its name says, from the Canary Islands.
Canaries are known for their beauty and their song and have been kept as pets since the 1400s. It is said that these birds have the most beautiful song of all the pet birds. They are not companion birds and are better admired from afar, but this doesn’t make them any less of a great pet. They do spend a lot of time in their cages, so you need an adequately sized cage with perches on either end to provide them with maximum flying space.Canaries are known for their beauty and their song and have been kept as pets since the 1400s. It is said that these birds have the most beautiful song of all the pet birds. They are not companion birds and are better admired from afar, but this doesn’t make them any less of a great pet. They do spend a lot of time in their cages, so you need an adequately sized cage with perches on either end to provide them with maximum flying space.
If you want a Canary that sings, you will need to find a male. If this is very important to you, you should arrange ahead of time with the breeder to be able to return the bird if it proves to not be a singer. Keep in mind that males sing to attract females, so they should not be kept in pairs. They also don’t sing in the summer because it is molting season. Do not put mirrors in their cages because canaries are very territorial and they may see this “second bird” as a threat but they can also stop singing because of this. Also, you can make your male canary listen to recordings of canary songs in order for them to learn how to sing.
Canaries are commonly yellow, but they can also be red-orange, white, pink and many shades of brown. The bright red-orange ones are commonly fed colorants in their food in order to give them a colour boost.
They should be fed small grains, vegetables and fruits but you can also feed them yolk mixed with corn or commercial available canary food.
Lovebirds (genus Agapornis)
There are nine species of lovebirds. Eight of them are native to the African continent, and the grey-headed lovebird is native to Madagascar.
Lovebird species can be divided into those with prominent white eye rings – the masked (A. personata), the Fischer’s (A. fischeri), the black-cheeked (A. nigrigenis) and the Nyasa (A. lilianae) – and those without an eye ring – peach-faced (A. roseicollis), black-winged, or Abyssinian, (A. taranta), red-headed, or red-faced, (A. pullarius), Madagascar, or grey-headed, (A. canus) and the black-collared, or Swindern’s, (A. swindernianus) lovebird.
In the wild, lovebirds live in small flocks and eat fruit, vegetables, grasses as well as seed. The Abyssinian, or black-winged lovebird, has a specialized diet that includes native figs, which is why they are so rare in captivity.
Lovebirds often forms a deep bond with another lovebird. Potential owners should be aware, however, that a lovebird pair might choose not to interact with people, as they will be thoroughly focussed on each other. A single lovebird companion needs plenty of social interaction with the people in his/her life, as well as plenty of busy work in the form of toys and safe items to chew up and destroy.
Like most birds, lovebirds love to exercise and require the largest cage that your budget and space can afford. Lovebirds that are cooped up in a small cage and never given any freedom tend to become neurotic and can develop self-mutilating habits. With proper care and a well-balanced diet, a lovebird can live between 12 and 15 or more years.
Budgerigar (Melopsittacus undulatus)
Budgerigars are found wild throughout the drier parts of Australia and have been bred in captivity since the 1850s.
Budgerigars are naturally green and yellow with black, scalloped markings on the nape, back and wings, but have been bred in captivity with colouring in blues, whites, yellows, greys and even with small crests.
They have fascinating personalities that make them excellent pets and are extremely playful and curious, loving to explore. They have a strong flock mentality, which means that they are happiest when they are among other budgerigars.
Even though they are far less destructive than their larger cousins, budgerigars, will also chew on wood and other household items to keep their beak trimmed. Chew toys / soft wooden pieces, mineral blocks and cuttlebone are good and healthier alternatives for birds to chew on than furnishings, which may have been chemically treated and are expensive to repair or replace.
Budgerigars can be taught to speak and whistle tunes. They can learn to pronounce hundreds of words and phrases. Males are generally more adept at a singing and mimicry. Females rarely learn to speak more than a dozen words. They are intelligent and social animals and enjoy the stimulation of toys and interaction with humans as well as with other budgerigars.
Doves and pigeons (Columbidae fam.)
Pigeons and doves constitute the bird family Columbidae, which includes about 310 species and can be found worldwide.
The pigeon is probably best known for its ability to return ‘home’ from long distances and has therefore been used extensively throughout history as a messenger, dating as far back as 2500 BC and continuing into the 21st century. The first historical mention of the pigeon being used to carry messages was in the city of Sumer in southern Mesopotamia in 2500 BC.
Several species of pigeons and doves are used as food, however all types are edible
Domestic pigeons and doves make great pets. Good natured and mellow, they love both their own kind and people and they are easy to care for. They’re quiet, smart and social. They don’t bite, pluck, or chew and are low maintenance pets.
These birds can live 20 years or longer; however, most only live 5 to 10 years as their lives are cut short by accident or predation. Of course, well-cared individuals that are in protected environments have a better chance of living a long life.
Birds that have access to the outside will often forage on round and fleshy leaves, fruits, berries, seeds, pine nuts, acorns, peas and beans, root crops, winter buds of trees and bushes. They will also pick up the occasional invertebrate (larvae, ants, spiders and small worms).
African grey (Psittacus erithacus)
The African grey parrot is native to equatorial Africa, including Angola, Cameroon, Congo, Côte d’Ivoire, Ghana, Kenya, and Uganda.
The African Grey Parrot is probably the most popular pet bird and is known to be the most intelligent and the most talkative of the parrot family. African Greys are excellent companions and will keep you on your toes. Not only can Greys learn a large vocabulary, some more than 1,500 words, but they can also learn how to speak in different voices. African Greys can imitate various sounds and sound exactly like their owners.
Many become feather pluckers simply out of boredom. These pet birds need good mental stimulation, so providing them with plenty of puzzle-like and interactive toys is a must. Teaching them tricks is another good way to stimulate their smart little minds.
The most popular African Grey subspecies are the Congo African Grey and the Timmeh one. There aren’t really any differences between these two subspecies other than the way they look. Congos are the more popular of the two, but are said to be more high strung.
African grey parrots are prone to deficiency of vitamin-A/beta-carotene, and therefore benefit from eating vegetables high in beta-carotene, such as carrots. Vitamin-D deficiency is another concern, especially for greys on a poor diet. Offering a balanced pelleted diet as an African grey’s main diet will help prevent vitamin and mineral deficiencies. A grey that consumes a pelleted diet generally does not need vitamin supplements added to its food.
Cockatoo (Cacatuidae fam.)
Cockatoos are social birds and usually live in flocks. Flocks may be as small as 100 birds when food is plentiful but often grow to thousands in times of drought.
They begin their search for food each morning after the sun has warmed their nest and sometimes travel great distances in their search for food and water.The call of the cockatoo can be harsh and extremely loud. They use their voice to communicate danger to other birds, to indicate moods of fear or anger, and to recognize each other. When they feel threatened they will sometimes hiss.
These birds want your attention 24/7 and can cuddle with you for hours. If you don’t meet your bird’s needs, he will most likely scream non-stop, pluck out his feathers, and become very aggressive. Feather plucking is a very serious condition–birds that begin to feather pluck can also start self mutilating.
These behavioral problems can come about from lack of interaction, wrong foods, bad placement, improper cages and many other factors.
Pet cockatoos eat a widely varied diet that includes seeds, vegetables, fruit, insects and flowers. Most species feed in trees but a few, such as the galahs and corellas are ground feeders. In captivity they’re often fed pellets designed to meet many of their dietary needs but additional foods are still suggested for at least 40% of their diet. Many of these pellets are created for specific species of Cockatoos.
Macaw (gen. Psittacidae)
Macaws are native to Central America, Mexico, South America, and formerly the Caribbean. Most species are associated with forests, especially rainforests, but others prefer woodland or savannah-like habitats.
Six “true parrots” are classified as macaws: Ara, Anodorhynchus, Cyanopsitta, Primolius, Orthopsittaca, and Diopsittaca.
Macaws can be quite playful and love toys they can chew up, especially items made of wood. A pet macaw will need a consistent supply of appropriate toys and other safe items to destroy, and the cost of a staple supply of toys should be factored in to the monthly pet budget. Macaws are intelligent birds that also thrive on activities designed to challenge them, such as foraging activities.
Large macaws have equally large vocalizations, and their squawks and screeches can be very loud and ear piercing. A potential macaw owner needs to take a macaw’s large sound into consideration, especially if he or she lives in an apartment and/or has nearby neighbors. Macaws can be taught to talk and they might also be inclined to whistle or to imitate sounds and noises they hear inside and outside the home.
A macaw needs a cage tall enough to prevent its tail feathers from hitting the cage bottom, which can cause the tail feathers to bend or break. Overall, a macaw needs a much larger cage and play stand than other parrot species, so a potential owner should take space considerations into account.
In their natural habitat, macaws feed on native seeds, fruits, flowers,
leaves, palm nuts, figs, nectar and, in some regions, clay from exposed
river banks. The dietary needs of some macaw species differs from that
of other parrots in that they need generally more fat in their diet. The
wild macaw’s diet tends to be high in fat, which is acceptable for a
bird that spends its day flying through the rainforest, finding food,
nesting, and rearing chicks. For pet macaws the intake of fat must not
be so high since they have a much easier life than their wild
counterparts.