Easiest "First Bird"

[Winn]

I have budgies.. a fairly recent step back into being a bird parent after a couple of decades being birdless. (Budgies back then too..)

I wanted input from parents of other types of birds on this question so I opted for this forum instead of the budgie forum.

A couple I know (mid-twenties) are interested in adopting a bird or birds. They have asked me questions about the pros and cons of different parrot-family species of which I have no firsthand knowledge.

(Of course I'm inclined to say budgies are the best starter birds because they are all I have personal experience with. I recognize this might not be the case )

I'm wondering if any Avian Avenue bird parents who have experience with multiple parrot-family birds can offer input on other birds that may be "good starters" for a first time bird parent..?

I told them Avian Avenue is a good place to research before they step into ownership. They haven't joined the site and I don't know how much they have researched here.

Any feedback will be appreciated...

 

[sootling]

I'd say the best beginner bird is a cockatiel. Budgies are flighty and make constant noise, plus are more active and need more exercise and out of cage time (in my opinion) than other birds. They can also be harder to tame, and really do need to be in at least a pair to thrive. They are little goofballs, though

@FeatheredM

 

[Shezbug]

There is no such thing as a starter bird. They all have their unique behaviours and habits so get the bird you are most interested and emotionally invested in.

 

[Shezbug]

I’d encourage them to visit either rescues or as many others with birds as possible to see what they personally like, can deal with and are interested in.
No bird should ever be considered a starter or an easy bird, they’re all unique- my budgie needs different care, interactions and attention than my Too who is extremely different to my macaw- they all have such vast differences in behaviours, wants and noise but they all need my total commitment, interest and devotion and none is harder or easier than the others.
I’ve had tiels, galahs and 28’s in the past too and I honestly feel that any responsible, mature, logical person could start with any type of bird they choose if that is the bird they are totally invested/interested in.

 

[Winn]

Yes.. understood. I'm personally thinking a macaw for example may be a bit overwhelming for them as a starter bird. (They both work full time.)

I'm not sure how much research they have done on their own. They have asked me questions I can not answer.

I'm trying to encourage them to research what they are interested in.. I pretty much get the feeling their answer is "a bird".

I hope they hold off on the adoption until they know what they are committing to. I told them it's a huge commitment of time and money.. not just a case of "isn't this a cool pet!"

 

[Clueless]

For me, it was 2 blue front amazons....dna males and wild caught to boot!

 

[Shezbug]

It really is a personal thing- for example: I find lovebirds, cockatiels and budgies noises to be highly disturbing and I need to frequently move myself away from them whereas I can happily listen to the extra loud sound coming from amazons, toos or macaws.
They would honestly be best to familiarise themselves with as many birds as possible and find their own pros and cons of each species they encounter

 

[Winn]

I’d encourage them to visit either rescues or as many others with birds as possible to see what they personally like, can deal with and are interested in.
No bird should ever be considered a starter or an easy bird, they’re all unique-

I actually encouraged the man to volunteer at a bird rescue group in his area before making a decision.
I'm trying to discourage the spontaneous purchase. They live several states away from me. I'm relaying info on cage cost, toy cost, training time, etc. Not necessarily saying "don't get a bird".. just saying "make sure you are prepared to care for one"..

 

[Clueless]

They would honestly be best to familiarise themselves with as many birds as possible and find their own pros and cons of each species they encounter

This..... plus I would strongly encourage them to volunteer at a bird rescue first.

 

[Winn]

Yes! Thanks...
That would probably be the best way for them to decide on what "fits" best for them.
I'll pass along the suggestion!

 

[Winn]

I'd say the best beginner bird is a cockatiel. Budgies are flighty and make constant noise, plus are more active and need more exercise and out of cage time (in my opinion) than other birds. They can also be harder to tame, and really do need to be in at least a pair to thrive. They are little goofballs, though

@FeatheredM

My flock makes a lot of noise. I find it to be mostly happy energy... even when they are "bickering" with each other. I love their late evening soft "chortles".

I don't have firsthand experience with tiels but will tell my friends to research them.. thanks!

 

[FeatheredM]

I don't really like the term starter bird. I have a conure, a cockatiel and two budgies. They are all drastically different, one person might do super well with a budgie, while not with a conure. Or the other way around. All of them are the same difficulty level IMO. There are definitely birds that are harder than others to care for, such as cockatoos are harder to handle than budgies. Instead of buying a small bird to see if you will do well with a big bird, meet a big variety of birds. Do lots of research, narrow down to the birds you want, go and meet those specific birds, and if you can, meet some other birds. I would not mind at all if someone's first bird was a macaw as long as they did deep research, and actually met some macaws young and old. Because birds personality can change over time. They should also help out at a bird rescue to know all the existing bird problems they might have to deal with and get in some experience. They must be full prepared. Small birds have big feelings too, they are full of personality. Now, if someone wants a bird that has a softer bite, less destructive and less expensive, I would suggest a budgie, GCC or cockatiel(I cannot suggest others, as I have not cared for others). Notice how I said less, they still bite hard, are destructive, and expensive. I don't see how a GCC is harder to care for than a cockatiel though. My tiel' can be a little harder to care for than my conure sometimes but what if you are unhappy with your "starter" bird, because you would have actually done better and clicked better with the bird you first wanted? That person and bird will both be unhappy. When accepting a bird into your family, make sure it's the bird that will fit perfectly in.

 

[FeatheredM]

Just wanted to add that if someone got a small bird because they were to fully enjoy having it, but planned to have a bigger bird in the future, I wouldn't have minded.

 

[flyzipper]

In addition to the great advice already present in this thread about various species, it's important to also think about the other side of the coin and consider the people and their lifestyle.

I'd encourage your friends to think about what they want from an avian companion (watching finches do their own thing, versus having a highly interactive macaw, for example), whether they're also interested in cats and dogs (becomes a challenge under the same roof, especially if it's a small space), whether they plan to have kids (I've seen birds rehomed when kids come into the picture, especially when safety is a concern with larger bird species). Additionally, they should consider how bold or timid they are, how much time they have, available space, the amount they can afford, tolerance of mess, proximity to neighbours, availability of avian vets, etc.

My experience with each of mine (vastly different sizes) is 90% of my effort to satisfy their needs overlaps (their needs aren't necessarily the same, but the effort to satisfy their needs mostly is). I adopted a conure when I lived in a loft, adding a medium sized macaw convinced me that I should start looking for different living accommodations, and I didn't add a full sized macaw to my family until I had a larger stand-alone home. Three different species can also require more space than the same number of birds of the same species who get along with each other (separate cages, play areas, food & water stations, and even separate rooms).

If I were forced to create a generalized model of material differences between species, it would be: larger bird = larger space requirements, bigger expense, more potential to disturb neighbours, and greater mess and/or destruction.

All that said, I agree that a great first step is to have your friends go meet some birds and spend ample time with them.

 

[Zara]

Great comments already here.

The key really is researching well and figuring out which bird fits best into their lifestyle, and knowing that species and how to work with them. For eg. If I wanted a Pionus, and I have the space, money, and time, it is also a good idea to research the species and get to know them so you know how to actually handle the bird and build a relationship. Or at least the basics.

For some people it´s a budgie, for others it´s an amazon, for me it was a lovebird, for someone else it is a macaw. Every person will be different, and for some people, those bigger macaws will be their perfect first bird.

 

[conurehrdr]

I'm on the fence about 'starter birds'. On one hand... there are some birds that are easier to care for than others. At the same time, the right bird for you is the one you researched researched researched! I guess I would suggest they talk to a few breeders, find out what the pros and cons of each bird they want is. Consider price, size, nippiness (Hardest bite I've ever had was from a budgie, and I've had 3 species of conure, budgies, cockatiels and a pionus!) and overall noise level.

Hope that helps

 

[tka]

I would encourage them to consider what they can offer a bird as well as what they want from a bird.

They need to think, very carefully, thoroughly and with absolute honesty, about the following:

• what they can spend on initial and ongoing costs
• what their working patterns are like now and whether these are likely to change
• what sort of routine they can stick to long-term
• what kind of diet they can provide
• what kind of training and interaction they can commit to
• how big a cage they have space for
• how much out of the cage time they can commit to
• whether their lifestyle is likely to change, especially with regard to children
• whether they have access to specialist avian veterinary care, and how much they're willing to spend on it

If they live in rented accommodation, there will be constraints on how much bird-inflicted damage their landlord is willing to tolerate. If they live in a flat, they will need to consider the impact of noise on their neighbours.

They will need to think about their own personalities - are they calm and easy-going, are they impatient, do they get stressed when things aren't perfect or get upset when things don't go their way? Personally I know that I don't like to be in a battle of wills, so a fiesty bird like a parrotlet or caique was not going to be a good match for me.

How much effort are they willing to put in to learn about parrot behaviour? As parrot custodians, we essentially bring a wild animal into our homes: most of our birds are only a few generations seperated from their wild relatives and have all of their wild instincts for finding a mate and breeding intact. Many, many birds are rehomed because their human family cannot cope with hormonal behaviours like aggression, screaming and feather destruction. Some species are more prone to this than others.

Would they be interested in having two birds? It's a very good idea for birds to have same-species companionship - humans just cannot understand a bird in the same way that another memeber of its species can. However, they may need to have two cages so the birds have their own space.

I think, once they've thought about these things, some species will rule themselves out.

 

[Winn]

All excellent points! Thank you. (And thanks to everyone who responded..)

I think I will tell my friends to consider all of these "extra things" first, then decide if they are ready for a bird, then focus on which bird they are interested in.
I did try to point out the expense and time commitment involved, but I don't think I covered it as thoroughly as you (all) did here.

 

[o0msd0o]

In my personal opinion... one of the most important points of all... is the fact that you don't just "choose" a bird... the bird can also "choose you"! No matter what species they decide to go with... they have to find a bird from that species that "chooses them"... or... go to a rescue and volunteer.. and keep an open mind about ALL the different species... and let a bird "pick them"

Don't get me wrong... research on different species is SUPER important... but they also need to know... that each bird has its own personality quirks just like people do! Stereotypes within a species are not concrete! Not all cockatiels are friendly... not all african greys talk.. and if it has a mouth.. it is capable of biting you! And make sure that is something they are prepared for! Hormones are GOING to happen... some birds aren't as bad as others for having MAJOR mood swings! It just depends on that birds personality!

 

[Lady Jane]

There is no such thing as a starter bird.

I agree 100%. Small size birds does not mean easy.