Pet Birds Include The Following Main Species
Cockatoos African Grey Parrots Amazons Cockatoos Cockatiels Parakeets Conures , Macaws Finches Lovebirds Quakers Long Tailed Parakeets. Parrots in a much more general sense because there are a multitude of parrot species
Birds of the Kruger National Park ... some 500 species of birds have been noted in this world famous game and wildlife reserve inside South Africa.
Choosing a Pet Bird ... warning
Be aware that many pet bird sales are regulated in terms of protection of endangered species .. always ensure that your pet bird is on the approved list of captive bred birds before buying your pet bird from any dealer or pet shop. See the list below ...
Choosing the Right Bird For You
When you look into choosing the right bird for your lifestyle, first consider housing, noise level, temperament, time commitment, and price range. Consider, also, that a bird is a large responsibility, and that many birds are given up for adoption each year due to owners not doing the proper research before taking the plunge into bird ownership. Make a "wish list" of the kinds of birds that you want then consider the following:
Housing
First, consider where your bird is going to live. House your bird in the largest cage you can afford. If you live in an apartment, consider a smaller bird, such as a budgie, lovebird, parrotlet, cockatiel, grey-cheeked parrot, Poicephalus, mini macaw, or a small conure, such as a maroon-bellied or a green-cheeked. These birds do not need huge cages, but they do need a lot of free time out of the cage. A canary or a pair of finches is another good choice for the apartment dweller.
If you have a lot of space, you may consider larger birds: lories, larger conures, Eclectus, Amazons, macaws, or cockatoos. These birds need a lot of room and a play gym as well. They tend to roam, and will appreciate space. If you own a home and have room to build an aviary, even better - you can house your birds in style! Don't ever crowd your bird - give him space to exercise and fly.
Noise Level
Good neighbors are hard to find, and even harder to keep if you have a parrot kicking up a racket all day. Smaller birds in small numbers tend to be the least disturbing - canaries, finches, budgies, Meyer's, Senegals, African greys, Pionus, lovebirds, rosellas, and cockatiels won't usually cause your neighbors to complain. Smaller macaws, like the Hahn's and the yellow-collar can be good choices as well - one bird usually won't make too much of a racket.
Cockatoos, macaws, Amazons, Quaker parakeets, and some conures, however, may cause your whole neighborhood to sign a petition for you to move! These birds can be noisy, and are not great for the apartment dweller. If you live in a home and are not disturbed by screeching, then consider a larger bird like a cockatoo or macaw. Indian ringnecks, Eclectus, lories, caiques, and Pionus are in the moderate noise range and are not known to be excessively loud, depending on the individual.
Temperament
Want a sweet, cuddly baby? Then a cockatoo is the bird for you - cockatoos will literally act like they want to be surgically attached to your body. Macaws can be very affectionate as well, and so can conures, lovebirds, lories, Quakers, and some cockatiels. Amazons, budgies, and Poicephalus are moderately affectionate and will like some petting and close contact, while African greys, Eclectus, and rosellas will tolerate the occasional head scratch. Canaries and finches would rather not be touched at all.
Realize that, like with people, temperament varies. "It's hard to generalize with temperament. Each bird is an individual. You can't say that you're going to get a bird because you've heard that a certain species behaves a certain way," said Liz Johnson, director of the Shyne Foundation Inc., a free flight parrot sanctuary in Central Florida. "There has to be a rapport between you and the bird. The bird should pick you. I had no intention of buying a parrot when I saw my first parrot in the store, but I couldn't help myself. The people at the store said I shouldn't take that bird because they said he was vicious. Our special relationship has lasted 22 years."
Time Commitment
Having a bird takes time: cleaning, playtime, feeding, watering, shopping, and more cleaning. The smaller the bird, the less cleaning time you will do. Canaries and finches are content to spend all of their time in their homes, while parrots need a good deal of supervised playtime out of the cage. A pair of birds needs less attention from you than a single bird does.
Price Range
Do not consider price first when shopping for a bird - first consider the species that you would love to have. The bird might be the right price, but that doesn't necessarily mean that it's the right bird for your lifestyle. Larger and rare birds usually come with a higher price tag. A budgie usually sells for $10 to $15 while a similar sized bird, the parrotlet, can sell for $250 to $600, depending on color. Also keep in mind that birds often range in price according to state: you can buy a peach-faced lovebird in Florida for $15, while you might spend $60, for the same bird in New York.The Most Frequently Rehomed Birds
"Many rescue organizations, including our own, have found that the
bird most commonly given up for adoption is the cockatoo, particularly
the Moluccan cockatoo," said Liz Johnson of the Shyne Foundation. "These
birds are so charming when you first meet them, but they are so
demanding of attention, noisy, and destructive, that people end up
giving them up." The other most commonly given up bird is the yellow-naped
Amazon, according to Johnson. "Some yellow-naped Amazons become
aggressive as they get older, and will often attack their owners. Owning
these particular birds can be a lifetime commitment but many people buy
these birds on impulse before doing the proper research."
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Nikki Moustaki wrote this article for Petsmart.com She has been in the
bird fancy for over 11 years. She is involved in the rescue and
rehabilitation of companion birds, and has experience keeping and
raising Finches, Canaries, Budgies, Lovebirds, Cockatiels, Conures,
Ringneck Parakeets, Lories, Poicephalus, Amazons, and Macaws. She has
appeared with her birds on television's Fox News and writes regularly
for Bird Talk Magazine and Pet Product News. Her book, Parakeets for
Dummies? is due out in the summer of 2001. She lives in New York City.
Approved Captive-Bred Species of Pet Birds
Pet Birds of Order Falconiiformes:
Buteo buteo (European buzzard)
Pet Birds of Order Columbiformes:
Columba livia(Rock dove)
Pet Birds of Order Psittaciformes:
Agapornis personata (Masked lovebird)
Agapornis roseicollis (Peach-faced
lovebird)
Aratinga jandaya (Jendaya conure)
Barnardius barnardi (Mallee ringneck
parrot)
Bolborhynchus lineola (Lineolated
parakeet-blue form)
Bolborhynchus lineola (Lineolated
parakeet-yellow form)
Bolborhynchus lineola (Lineolated
parakeet-white form)
Cyanoramphus auriceps (Yellowfronted
parakeet)
Cyanoramphus novaezelandiae (Redfronted
parakeet)
Forpus coelestis (Pacific parrotlet-lutino
form)
Forpus coelestis (Pacific parrotletyellow
form)
Forpus coelestis (Pacific parrotlet-blue
form)
Forpus coelestis (Pacific parrotletcinnamon
form)
Melopsittacus undulatus (Budgerigar)
Neophema bourkii (Bourkes parrot)
Neophema chrysostoma (Blue-winged
parrot)
Neophema elegans (Elegant parrot)
Neophema pulchella* (Turquoise
parrot)
Neophema splendida* (Scarlet-chested
parrot)
Nymphicus hollandicus (Cockatiel)
Platycercus adelaide (Adelaide rosella)
Platycercus adscitus (Pale-headed
rosella)
Platycercus elegans (Crimson rosella)
Platycercus eximius (Eastern rosella)
Platycercus icterotis (Western (stanley)
rosella)
Platycercus venustus (Northern
rosella)
Polytelis alexandrae (Princess parrot)
Polytelis anthopeplus (Regent parrot)
Polytelis swainsonii (Superb parrot)
Psephotus chrysopterygius* (Goldenshouldered
parakeet)
Psephotus haematonotus (Red-rumped
parakeet)
Psephotus varius (Mulga parakeet)
Psittacula eupatria (Alexandrine
parakeet-blue form)
Psittacula eupatria (Alexandrine
parakeet-lutino form)
Psittacula krameri manillensis (Indian
ringneck parakeet)
Purpureicephalus spurius (Red-capped
parrot)
Trichoglossus chlorolepidotus (Scalybreasted
lorikeet)
Pet Birds of Order Passeriformes:
Aegintha temporalis (Red-browed finch)
Aidemosyne modesta (Cherry finch)
Chloebia gouldiae (Gouldian finch)
Emblema guttata (Diamond sparrow)
Emblema picta (Painted finch)
Lonchura castaneothorax (Chestnutbreasted
finch)
Lonchura domestica (Society
(Bengalese) finch)
Lonchura pectoralis (Pictorella finch)
Neochmia ruficauda (Star finch)
Poephila acuticauda (Long-tailed
grassfinch)
Poephila bichenovii (Double-barred
finch)
Poephila cincta (Parson finch)
Poephila guttata (Zebra finch)
Poephila personata (Masked finch)
Serinus canaria (common canary)
Acrobird Playland and Playground Stands
Bene-Bac for Birds from Pet-Ag
Blue Ribbon Parakeet-Cockatiel Playpen
Blue Ribbon Parakeet-Conure Playpen
Bob's Multi Color Lifesavers Bird Toy
Brown's Fruity Cockatiel Treat
Brown's Pineapple Paradise Fruitbite Treats
Cactus Beak with Fruit Flavors
For information about traveling Abroad with Your Pet Bird or importing or exporting your pet birds refer to Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES).
Since most exotic pet birds (including parrots, cockatoos, and macaws but excepting budgerigarsand cockatiels) are species listed under CITES, most are affected by the Act.
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) has issued regulations implementing the Act that provide for permits to allow foreign travel with your pet bird (domestic travel and sales are not affected).
If you plan to take your pet bird with you on foreign travel, or your residence has been outside the United States for a year and you plan to travel to the United States with a pet bird, you will need to have a permit before you travel.
Applications and Additional Information Permit applications (Form 3-200) and any other information you may need are available from the Division of Management Authority (telephone 703.358.2104 or Fax 703.358.2281).
Warning: The Department of Agriculture has disease quarantine requirements for pet birds entering the United States. You can obtain information about quarantine requirements by contacting the Department of Agriculture at 301.734.8364. U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service International Affairs