Live Life Team
Although birds like falcons, ducks and chickens have been domesticated for thousands of years, it is only in the last couple of centuries that keeping birds in our homes as pets has caught on. Many birds in the pet trade, including parrots, cockatoos and even the budgie, are only a few generations away from their wild ancestors. It’s not surprising that many misconceptions have arisen about pet birds.
All Pet Birds Talk
Not all pet bird species are mimics. Even those that are – like mynah birds, some species of parrot and even budgies – will only have some talkers. Birds have very individual characters and will not do what they don’t want to do. There is no magic formula for getting a pet bird to talk.
They Live For Ages
Although some species of pet birds are long-lived and there have been anecdotal stories about parrots living to be over 100, most birds only live about as long as a dog. Even with the best of care, the common budgie only lives to be about fifteen years old.
They Are Not Affectionate
Pet birds can’t take the roughhousing of a dog, but they do enjoy affection on their own terms. They like a gentle hand and a little scratch in between their feathers. Some birds have also been known to enjoy their backs being gently stroked.
Birds show affection to each other by mutual grooming. So, if your pet bird starts to scissor its beak through your hair, it is only trying to be affectionate.
