TINY BIRDS
Finches and Canaries come in many colors and depending on their availability can be inexpensive birds to purchase. They are often too fast moving to be easily tamed though many people have done so with patience. Finches or Canaries can be caged with non-toxic plants in an aviary or kept in individual cages as pets.
Breeding:
In some species, males and females can be differentiated by the color of their feathers. Bird pairs of these species will usually reproduce readily if they have access to nesting materials. Tiny birds can survive on a diet of bird seed and fresh water. However, they will remain healthier if they have
fresh fruits, vegetables and sprouted seeds and access to water for bathing.
SMALL BIRDS
Budgies (called parakeets in the US) and Cockatiels are affectionate and intelligent pets. They live 15-20 years.
The smallest parrots, Love Birds and Parrotlets are short tailed species
that enjoy climbing and hiding inside boxes and tubes. Budgies and Cockatiels can learn to talk. Rumor has it that the males are better talkers.
However, the Guinness Book of Records gives the vocabulary prize to a female Budgie.
Breeding:
Small birds breed readily in the company of other breeding pairs.
Differentiating between the sexes of the parrots is not possible without a
medical test but in green budgies or gray cockatiels, there are color
differences between genders. However, selective breeding has created unusual colors of parakeets
(violet, yellow and blue) and cockatiels (cinnamon and lutino). In these
developed colores, it is not possible to tell the sex for certain without a
medical test.
MEDIUM BIRDS
Indian
Ringnecks, South American Conures, Bourke’s Parakeets, Rosellas, Caiques, Lorries and Lorikeets are a varied group of medium sized, colorful birds that
need room to move. Some of these birds require special diets of nectar and insects.
Senegals, Meyer's, Jardines and Pionus parrots are not as loud as other species
and can be kept in an apartment without disturbing the neighbors.
Bird fanciers are attracted by the beauty and playfulness of this colorful and
active group of birds.
Breeding: Many of these species cannot be sexually differentiated without a medical
test though some breeders feel they can tell based on the bird's behavior or subtle physical
characteristics such as posture or pelvic girth. Since they have a 50/50 chance
of being correct, this may be good enough.
However, many unsuccessful pairings are discovered to be two
birds of the same sex that displayed the behavior of a true couple, including
laying eggs.
LARGE BIRDS
Amazon and African Parrot species are
commonly named to reflect their coloring such as Gray, Yellow Nape, Blue Front or
Orange Wing. Large
parrots are not graceful flyers, so they need room to climb. Amazon and African Parrots are quite popular because of their ability to mimic sounds, especially
human voices. Amazon species are very active and vocal. Because they are wild
animals, stress in captivity can affect their longevity. Many stories of birds living close to a human life span are
reported but can't be documented with import records or vet histories. Proven
life spans indicate that these birds can
live 30 or 40 years. When their needs for nutrition, space and
security are met, they make well adjusted pets.
Breeding: Most of these birds require medical testing to differentiate the sexes. These
larger birds are difficult to breed in captivity. Since parrots can become aggressive
while protecting a nest, many pet owners choose not to breed their pets. In addition,
many hand raised babies do not make good parents since they prefer to be
with people and may not have learned normal breeding behavior. However, they
cannot be routinely neutered so some hormonal behavior is inevitable.
GIANT BIRDS
Cockatoos and Macaws are also popular
species for pets. Cockatoos are known for developing an intense bond with their caretaker or mate. Both Cockatoos and Macaws can be intimidating in appearance because their beak
is large and easily cracks open shelled nuts. These birds are usually quite gentle to family members but can be difficult for strangers to handle. Though giant birds also prefer climbing to flying, they still require considerable space because of their wing span and can be too loud to be kept in
suburban neighborhoods.
Breeding:
They can be quite difficult to breed in captivity due to space requirements and
the difficulty of arranging the "marriage" of two birds who have their
own opinions about selecting a mate for life. When given an opportunity
to fly and choose a mate, they are successful captive breeders.
SOFT BILL BIRDS
Mynah birds, Toucans and Starlings are excellent
mimics, too. These birds eat a soft diet of fruit and meat (from insects) and are messier than the average bird. They are not good climbers so they must have
plenty of room to fly.
They are some of the most intelligent bird species.
Breeding: Soft
Bills require so much space to raise young that they are not commonly bred in
captivity.
Check out more
about the intelligence of birds through links on the Animal
Cognition page.
