The common parakeet, or budgerigar, makes a wonderful pet for children or for those who are new to keeping birds; they are smart and playful yet they require less space and maintenance than larger bird species.
These medium-sized birds are simply a delight to keep. Members of the parrot family, these Australian natives are known for their surprisingly advanced whistling and singing abilities. While cockatiels are capable of learning to talk, many owners find that their birds prefer to whistle and to mimic quirky sounds such as the ringing of a telephone.
Finches and canaries (a species of finch) are ever-popular companion birds. With most varieties measuring just five inches or less, finches and canaries require less space than almost any other pet bird species. Unlike the parrots, which are all hard-beaked hookbill birds, finches and canaries are known as softbills or waxbill birds
Lovebirds are one of the smallest parrot species. These colorful little birds should not be overlooked in favor of larger, more demanding parrots as lovebirds possess all the intelligence and personality of the largest of macaws.
The monk parakeet or quaker is actually a small parrot. It is well known for its ability to build a large vocabulary or words and phrases. The more you verbally explain what you are doing around the cage, the more this bird will pick up on the words for things and how to mimics those words.
Doves are known for their sweet and gentle dispositions. Unlike the hookbill parrots, softbills doves rarely try to bite or do damage with their beaks. Still, it always helps to use calm and positive socialization and bonding techniques with these birds.
From the tropical forests of Ecuador and Peru, parrotlets are genetically most closely related to the much larger Amazon parrot. Even though these birds are tiny, they have the same temperament and intelligence as their larger cousins. Relatively new to captivity, a parrotlet's wild streak is still intact.
African Grays have been said to be the most intelligent of birds with some boasting very large vocabularies. Because these birds are so smart, they tend to be demanding pets that will get bored and depressed very quickly if not stimulated for at least five hours per day.