First-time bird owners or those who want an easy going new companion bird should consider starting off with a less demanding bird, if possible. But with so many birds to choose from it can be overwhelming, which easygoing bird species should you adopt? Which birds are best for someone who’s new to caring for a bird? In other words, what are some pet birds that are easy to care for?
Pet birds that are easy to care for:
- Amazon parrot
- Parrotlet
- Bourke’s parakeet
- Lineolated parakeet
- Pionus parrot
- Lovebird
- Cockatiel
- Quaker parakeet
- Budgerigar
- Canary
- Finch
- Dove
What is it about each of these pet birds that makes them a fantastic feathered friend? Ahead, I’ll explain. I’ll also share some care pointers throughout so you can envision your everyday routine with your new pet bird.
12 Low-Maintenance Companion Birds
Amazon Parrot
Bright green, mid-sized, and very popular, the Amazon parrot is deservedly first on the list.
Some of the species of this parrot are exceptionally colorful, such as the yellow-naped Amazon parrot, the orange-winged Amazon parrot (with orange on its head), the lilac-crowned Amazon parrot, and the double yellow-headed Amazon parrot.
The Amazon parrot is not a quiet bird, as it’s able to speak. It can also live for up to 30 years, sometimes longer, if it has the right care. If you’re okay with all that, then here’s what I recommend.
This bird must have a large cage to accommodate its size. Amazon parrots love to eat, but they don’t know when to stop, so you’ll have to limit their food intake for them. If you don’t, the bird will quickly become overweight.
Bathing is a regular and crucial part of the Amazon parrot’s routine, so if you see yours using its water dish as a bath, don’t be surprised!
Parrotlet
Maybe you want a tinier bird than an Amazon parrot. In that case, try a parrotlet. These beginner-friendly birds are as cute as they are small, growing five inches long at most.
A lot quieter than Amazon parrots too, apartment dwellers can own a parrotlet without getting noise complaints from the neighbors.
If your parrotlet is blue, then it’s a male, although females sometimes have streaks of blue around their eyes.
This bird’s cage needs at least ¼ inches between the bars so the parrotlet can’t slip right out. Provide toys and other entertainment for exercise and mental stimulation. I’d recommend swings and parrot kabobs.
Besides the pellets it should eat daily, add seed, vegetables, and fruit to your parrotlet’s diet on occasion. Cuttlebone will provide calcium and should be offered regularly.
Bourke’s Parakeet
Referred to as the pink-bellied parrot, the sundown parrot, or the blue-vented parrot, Bourke’s parrot or parakeet make great pets. Even first-time bird owners can figure these parakeets out!
Growing about eight inches at most, the Bourke’s parakeet is a multicolored bird that vocalizes a lot but does not speak. They’re kind birds that can even eat out of your hand if they’re socialized early enough.
Provide bathing water for this parakeet and a sizable cage that’s at least a foot and a half tall by a foot and a half wide and three feet in length. This will allow the Bourke’s parakeet to fly horizontally, which is something they’re quite fond of.
You can put the Bourke’s parakeet in a cage with other birds. If it’s on its own, spend a little time talking to and even petting your bird to prevent loneliness.
Lineolated Parakeet
The lineolated parakeet or linnie is a tiny, adorable bird that’s typically green but can come in other hues. These include silver, gold, red, creamy white, blue, and purple. They don’t have markings on their bodies, but their feather color is very vivid!
If you notice that your linnie walks instead of flies, don’t worry. It’s probably not injured. This is just a habit of the lineolated parakeet.
Although not loud birds, linnies can learn to talk like you and I, so try having a conversation with yours when you can.
The linnie doesn’t need a huge cage, but it will appreciate a shallow water bowl for bathing, which is something it does a lot and with great vigor.
Pionus Parrot
Imagine having all the best qualities of pet birds rolled into one species. That would be the Pionus parrot.
This is admittedly a bigger bird, growing 10 to 12 inches long. The blue-headed Pionus especially is beloved with its contrasting blue head and green body.
A regular diet of pellets will keep your Pionus parrot healthy. You can supplement this with vegetables and fruits.
Don’t expect your parrot to make a lot of noise; that’s not the Pionus’ MO. They might speak words but in a raspy tone. As an FYI, the Pionus can hiss, so if you hear yours doing that, it’s time to back off.
Lovebird
There’s a lot to love about a lovebird. The Fischer’s lovebird is like a rainbow of colors in one bird while the peach-faced lovebird is red around its head and then green everywhere else.
Why are they called lovebirds, you ask? Well, birds of a feather flock together, and two lovebirds are practically inseparable. How romantic!
Provide a rich, varied diet with more than just seed to avoid nutrient deficiencies. A large cage will give the lovebird the space it needs to exercise.
You should also offer your lovebird toys, and the more durable, the better, as lovebirds can chew exceptionally well.
Cockatiel
The bird with the mohawk, a cockatiel could be just the low-maintenance pet you’ve been looking for.
Hailing from Australia, the cockatiel has a vivid, feisty personality. It’s also sweet and cuddly and loves to whistle and chirp. This bird does not speak.
Manageable in size, cockatiels still require a bigger cage. The cage should have several perches and an access door so the bird can easily get in and out (when you let it out, of course!).
To accommodate for the cockatiel’s foraging nature, lay down some newspaper on the floor of its cage and add some millet seed.
You can satisfy the social needs of the cockatiel too by talking to your bird, petting it, or just sitting close to it.
Quaker Parakeet
Unfortunately, in some countries across the United States, you can’t legally own a quaker parakeet (or other parakeets) since they’re deemed pests. This is a bummer considering this bird is such a sweet pet, especially for those who can’t pour hours and hours of time into bird care.
A small, feathered friend, the quaker parakeet has a lifespan of around 30 years. The bird comes in hues like blue or green.
They chew voraciously, so if you let yours out to fly, watch your furniture. While in its cage, give this bird some chew toys to keep it entertained and to prevent destructive behavior.
Budgerigar
The budgerigar, more commonly called the budgie, is known as a beginner’s bird. Fond of chattering and whistling, the budgie can also speak like a parrot does. Some say budgies are even better at speaking than parrots!
Like some parrots, overfeeding a budgie can cause obesity. Since this bird only lives for around 10 years, maintaining its weight is a big part of keeping it healthy.
Okay, so what should budgies eat? Feed them pellets with some veggies and fruits instead of birdseed all the time.
Canary
Yes, domesticated canaries exist, and they’re a fantastic pet since you want a bird with easy care.
With up to 200 breeds, canaries aren’t always yellow but can be red or orange as well.
Like the budgie, a canary needs a balanced, nutritious diet that includes fresh vegetables and fruits. That doesn’t mean birdseed is off the menu, but the canary cannot subsist on seed alone.
Your canary’s cage should be spacious, but it should not share the cage with other birds. Canaries are largely solitary animals and very territorial, so they don’t play nicely with others.
You don’t have to spend a lot of time petting or doting on your canary; it would prefer you didn’t. You can keep its cage in the family room or the living room around others though. Even on its own, this bird won’t get lonely.
Trainable and smart, the canary whistles and chatters but does not speak. It can live up to 10 years.
Finch
In the same vein as the canary is my next recommended low-maintenance bird, the finch. Some species, such as the Gouldian finch, are as colorful as a rainbow, but most finches have muted colors with unique patterning.
The sounds finches emit are meep and peep noises that are cute but not overly loud. This bird isn’t capable of speech. It also doesn’t love being handled much, but that means it won’t be prone to loneliness either.
Feed your finch pellets with supplementation such as grubs and green vegetables.
Give the bird a large cage that’s wider than it is taller. You can add a second or third finch to the mix but ensure they’re all one gender unless you want finch eggs!
Dove
Yes, that’s right, doves can be domesticated pets much like finches or canaries. Besides their alluring beauty, doves make a lovely pet since they’re not overly loud.
Doves would prefer to be around other birds than people, so handle as infrequently as you can. The cooing sound is one you’ll hear all the time, and I mean all the time. If you don’t like that, then there are plenty of quieter birds on this list!
As inept climbers, doves need a wider enclosure so they can fly from one cage bar to another. Add perches to the cage but change up the diameters of the perches. Provide a shallow bathing bowl as well.
Since they consume seeds whole, introducing types of grit into its diet will aide in the dove’s digestion. Cuttlebone or another source of calcium is a must as well.