Budgies
We may talk about large birds here a lot at Birdtricks.com, but the fact is that we are also small bird keepers and we have learned that the smallest of our birds sometimes occupy the largest places in our hearts. My cockatiels are beyond precious to me.
Something that really bugs me is when the small birds are treated like second class citizens. Even though the message about appropriate parrot diet and enrichment has reached more and more people, somehow the small birds are still being overlooked.
People getting larger birds are typically much better educated before taking them home than the prospective owners of small birds. Perhaps the bigger birds get the lion’s share of the focus because they can scream louder and bite harder, but that doesn’t make a small parrot any less of a parrot – or any less deserving of our full attention.
Parrotlet
Are small parrots under-rated? I think they are. While it is usually the attention grabbing colorful or crested parrots that get the applause, the smaller parrots have some of the more notable skills locked up. For instance, it is a budgie, Puck, and not the African grey that claims the title for the highest recorded vocabulary at 1,728 words and phrases. He would adapt words appropriately to indicate his understanding and awareness of his environment.
It is a group of parrotlets in a recent study that show their species to be much more adept at foraging than the cockatoos and macaws that also participated in the study.
Small birds are just not recognized for the brilliance they continually display. We should approach the small birds with the same expectations for learning that we automatically accredit to the larger species – they are not smarter. If you have small birds, I know I am preaching to the choir.
Still, there are small bird owners that do not encourage their birds to fully utilize their brains. There are small bird owners that simply accept their bird’s behavior problems because the screams and bites are not intolerable or life threatening.
Be the companion that gives your small bird a big life.
Patty Jourgensen specializes in avian health, behavior and nutrition and has been working with and caring for rescue birds since 1987.
5 comments
I love my smols and wouldn’t want a bigger parrot. I had tiel friends for years and think they are perfect except for the dust. I now have budgies and a Quaker. Big personalities in small packages.
I have 1 peach faced lovebird, named Keeco, and we have a recent addition to our flock a olive mutation Fishers Lovebird named Sunbeam who has already laid 6 eggs in the month and a half we’ve had her. Then we just got a white faced cockatiel that is 10 years old. Her original owner got sick and couldn’t care for her anymore and she got her when she was a baby. We’ve had her for about a week now and she is so full of personality. Her squeaks have all of us whistling at her in response. She is beautiful and her tail feathers are nice and long and undamaged. She is so cute. All our small birds have so much character. We often call our flock of 4 finches, 2 lovebirds, 1 cockatiel, and 1 BFA, our feathered kids. They truly are each loved very much.
I love my lovebird! She has a big personality! She is not a cuddly bird. But she is my housemate. I try to raise her the way I’ve learned here. And like I would do if she was a bigger bird. But yes. People think I’m crazy if I say I have to go home because she needs her out of the cage time. A part of me wants a bigger bird in the future. But I offen wonder if that is not because it looks more spectacular. No bird can be ‘better’ than my little piece of thunder 😍
Well said. What’s not to like about a beautiful cockateil or lovebird. Very special little birds who bring light into so many people’s lives. Plus you can keep them in a small flat or house with no probelm at all. They will give back what you give to them .
i have a 9 month Parrotlet, who is so smart and beautiful! she does “High five”, “turn around” and greets me as i come home with lots of chirping. :) I think the key with ANY bird is spending time giving it plenty of attention.
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