Five types of birds that make great pets

If you want a pet that will fill your house with song, or one you can teach to speak, get a bird. Here are five types that could make a great addition to your home.

1. Canaries: this type is best for people who want to watch and listen to their bird, but don’t want to handle it. Male canaries can mimic sounds it hears in your home and transform them into birdsong.

2. Lovebirds: you have a better chance of bonding with a single lovebird than a pair. They need lots of social interaction, so be ready to spend time training and playing with them.

3. Budgies: sometimes called a parakeet, this small parrot is friendly, easy to take care of and some can be trained to speak better than larger parrots.

4. African grey parrots: this is the bird to get if you want one you can teach to talk. Some have vocabularies of hundreds of words. If an African grey gets bored or neglected, they will voice their displeasure loudly.

5. Cockatiels: this medium sized parrot is very intelligent and when hand-raised, they’re affectionate pets. They don’t usually learn to talk but they can mimic household sounds like doorbells and ringing phones.

No matter what type of bird you get, make sure to give it a cage big enough to fly around in with plenty of perches and toys. Lots of love and attention are also requisite.

Make sure your home is safe for your birds. Their respiratory systems are much more delicate than ours, and they can’t handle things like cigarette smoke, the fumes that come from non-stick cookware or scented candles, and air fresheners.