Pet Birds

• Lifespan: 5–10 years, sometimes longer with excellent care
• Temperament: Cheerful, curious, sociable
• Tameability: Very easy to hand tame, especially when started at about 8 weeks old
• Talkability: Many (particularly males) learn to mimic words clearly
• Noise level: Low to moderate — cheerful chattering
• Social needs: Happy alone with regular interaction, or content in pairs
• Size: Approx. 18 cm, head to tail
• Gender: We don't DNA test budgies for gender — most can be visually sexed by the colour of the cere (the area above the beak) once they reach around 3–6 months old, but we can't guarantee sex before then
• Hypoallergenic: Low dust — smooth, oil-based feathers produce very little loose powder

• Lifespan: 25–30 years
• Temperament: Bold, comedic, endlessly energetic
• Tameability: Tames well with an experienced, confident hand
• Talkability: Can learn to talk and mimic sounds, but not known for being clear or frequent talkers
• Noise level: Moderate to loud
• Social needs: Bonds intensely; needs substantial daily out-of-cage time
• Size: Approx. 23–24 cm, head to tail
• Gender: Gender only determined by DNA testing
• Hypoallergenic: Low dust — oil-based feathers with very little loose powder

• Lifespan: 8–12 years
• Temperament: Independent, self-contained, not physically affectionate
• Tameability: Cannot be tamed or handled
• Talkability: None — valued for singing rather than speech
• Noise level: Moderate to high — known for their singing, particularly the males
• Social needs: Content alone or in pairs; doesn't require human interaction
• Size: Approx. 12–14 cm, head to tail
• Gender: Gender only determined by DNA testing
• Hypoallergenic: Low dust — oil-based feathers with very little loose powder

• Lifespan: 15–20 years, sometimes longer with good care
• Temperament: Affectionate, easy-going, quick to bond
• Tameability: Tames well with patience, especially when interaction starts young
• Talkability: Whistling and mimicking sounds far more common than actual talking
• Noise level: Low to moderate — whistling and contact calls
• Social needs: Bonds strongly with people
• Size: Approx. 30–33 cm, head to tail
• Gender: Gender only determined by DNA testing
• Hypoallergenic: Produces a fine feather dust (a natural powder down) — worth bearing in mind if anyone in the household is sensitive to dust or dander

Worth knowing: cockatiels can startle easily at night ("night frights"), so a small night light near the cage helps them settle.

• Lifespan: Typically 10–15 years
• Temperament: Bold, energetic, can be feisty
• Tameability: Tames well with consistent, regular interaction if kept singly; two lovebirds housed together will bond to each other instead and are very unlikely to tame
• Talkability: Can talk if kept on their own
• Noise level: Moderate to loud, persistent chirp
• Social needs: Best kept in pairs for companionship, though the cage needs to be a reasonable size to house them comfortably; a paired lovebird bonds to its cage-mate rather than to you, so pairing trades tameability for company
• Size: Approx. 14 cm, head to tail
• Gender: Gender only determined by DNA testing
• Hypoallergenic: Low dust — oil-based feathers with very little loose powder

• Lifespan: 20–30 years
• Temperament: Affectionate, playful, often described as clownish
• Tameability: Tames well young; some go through a nippy adolescent phase
• Talkability: Good — many pick up words and phrases clearly
• Noise level: Moderate — capable of a sharp alarm call, generally quieter than most other conures
• Social needs: Bonds strongly with owner; happy alone with daily attention, or in pairs
• Size: Approx. 26 cm, head to tail
• Gender: Gender only determined by DNA testing
• Hypoallergenic: Low dust — oil-based feathers with very little loose powder

• Lifespan: 20–30 years
• Temperament: Intelligent, confident, affectionate with their bonded person
• Tameability: Tames well young; the bluffing phase needs a calm, consistent hand
• Talkability: Excellent — one of the clearest-talking parakeet species, although very repetitive
• Noise level: Moderate to loud, particularly around dawn and dusk
• Social needs: Bonds strongly with one person; can be kept alone only with committed daily interaction, otherwise best in pairs or an aviary
• Size: Approx. 40 cm, head to tail (including the long tail feathers)
• Gender: Gender only determined by DNA testing
• Hypoallergenic: Low dust — oil-based feathers with very little loose powder

• Also known as: Linnies or Barred Parakeets
• Lifespan: 10–15 years
• Temperament: Calm, gentle, easy-going — one of the quieter parakeet species; can be a little hand shy
• Tameability: Hand tames with patience, generally slower than a budgie — linnies can be a little hand shy, so gentle, consistent interaction works best
• Talkability: Not known for talking — an occasional soft word is a bonus
• Noise level: Moderate — generally quiet, but their alarm calls can be moderately loud
• Social needs: Best kept as a single bird that gets plenty of one-to-one interaction — linnies don't always thrive in pairs, so we'd talk this through before recommending a shared cage. They also benefit from more company during the day; eight hours alone every day could be too much for them.
• Size: Approx. 16 cm, head to tail
• Gender: Gender only determined by DNA testing
• Hypoallergenic: Low dust — oil-based feathers with very little loose powder

• Lifespan: 15–20 years
• Temperament: Bold, confident, full of character — "a big parrot in a small body"
• Tameability: Tames well young; can nip if startled or under-socialised
• Talkability: A handful of words in some individuals — the exception, not the rule
• Noise level: Low — occasional chirps and chatter
• Social needs: Do well alone with daily interaction; kept in pairs, two may bond to each other over their owner
• Size: Approx. 12–14 cm, head to tail
• Gender: Often visually sexed by staff — males typically show more blue tones in the wing and rump than females
• Hypoallergenic: Low dust — oil-based feathers with very little loose powder

• Lifespan: 15–20 years
• Temperament: Intelligent, affectionate once settled, independent-minded
• Tameability: Tames with patience; most go through a nippy "bluffing" stage
• Talkability: Capable, with some developing a decent vocabulary
• Noise level: Moderate, particularly at dawn/dusk
• Social needs: Can live alone with committed daily interaction, or in pairs/aviary
• Size: Approx. 33–36 cm, head to tail (including the long tail feathers)
• Gender: Gender only determined by DNA testing
• Hypoallergenic: Low dust — oil-based feathers with very little loose powder

• Lifespan: 20–30 years
• Temperament: Confident, intelligent, highly sociable
• Tameability: Tames well with consistent interaction; can be nippy or bossy if inconsistent
• Talkability: Excellent — one of the clearest-talking small parrots
• Noise level: Moderate to loud
• Social needs: Bonds closely and needs regular daily interaction; should be well socialised, as they can bond too strongly to just one person otherwise. Happy alone or in pairs.
• Size: Approx. 29 cm, head to tail
• Gender: Gender only determined by DNA testing
• Hypoallergenic: Low dust — oil-based feathers with very little loose powder

• Lifespan: 15–25 years
• Temperament: Calm, steady, confident
• Tameability: Can be tamed with patience, but tends not to enjoy being physically handled
• Talkability: Can pick up words, though less clear than some parakeets
• Noise level: Moderate — has a voice, but not among the loudest species
• Social needs: Happy alone with regular interaction, or content in pairs
• Size: Approx. 40 cm, head to tail
• Gender: Gender only determined by DNA testing
• Hypoallergenic: Low dust — oil-based feathers with very little loose powder

• Lifespan: 20–30 years
• Temperament: Affectionate, playful, often described as clownish
• Tameability: Tames well young; some go through a nippy adolescent phase
• Talkability: Good — many pick up words and phrases clearly
• Noise level: Moderate — capable of a sharp alarm call, generally quieter than most other conures
• Social needs: Bonds strongly with owner; happy alone with daily attention, or in pairs
• Size: Approx. 25–26 cm, head to tail
• Gender: Gender only determined by DNA testing
• Hypoallergenic: Low dust — oil-based feathers with very little loose powder

• Lifespan: 10–15 years
• Temperament: Calm and even-natured
• Tameability: Tames well with regular, patient interaction
• Talkability: Not a strong talker; some may pick up the odd sound
• Noise level: Quiet — has a voice, but calls are rarely loud
• Social needs: Happy alone with regular interaction, or content in pairs
• Size: Approx. 18–20 cm, head to tail
• Gender: Gender only determined by DNA testing
• Hypoallergenic: Low dust — oil-based feathers with very little loose powder

• Lifespan: 4–8 years
• Temperament: Lively, sociable with own kind, skittish around hands
• Tameability: Cannot be tamed or handled
• Talkability: None — valued for chatter and activity rather than speech
• Noise level: Low — frequent chirping and chatter
• Social needs: Best kept in pairs or small groups; not suited to being alone
• Size: Approx. 10 cm, head to tail
• Gender: Visually sexed by staff — males have orange cheek patches and finer barring that females lack
• Hypoallergenic: Low dust — oil-based feathers with very little loose powder