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Besides cats, dogs and fish, birds are a popular pet choice. Here are some of the types of birds you can find in your local pet stores.
CANARY
Canaries can live up to ten years, but are good for beginning bird owners since they’re not particularly social. Canaries like to sing (especially males), but they don’t typically make good companion pets. Canaries are happy being single birds.
LOVE BIRDS
Love birds are curious and playful, and are the opposite of canaries in that they’re very social. Love birds live up to their name in their willingness to cuddle, but beware: they can also be territorial and aggressive. Love birds that are hand-raised from a young age make the best pets.
COCKATIEL
Cockatiels are a popular choice for bird owners, since they’re intelligent and social. Cockatiels can be trained to perch atop their owner’s finger, and with some work, they can learn to mimic sounds and words. Cockatiels can live up to 20 years.
PARAKEETS
Sometimes called budgies, these little guys need a lot of love and attention. Parakeets love to vocalize and are said to have a large “bird vocabulary.” Parakeets typically bond with one person and can live for 15 to 20 years.
AFRICAN GREY
These parrots are extremely intelligent birds, known for their ability to learn and mimic words and sounds. Like dogs, African Greys can be trained with rewards and treats. Although African Greys are social, make sure they get some downtime.
MACAWS
These big birds are beautiful, but also powerful and loud. Although macaws are rewarding pets, they also have the longest lifespan, and can live for more than 50 years. Macaws are play and active, and require a lot of time and attention.
Images from Flickr.com and Wikipedia.
