Pet Birds

                                                                            

What Pet Bird Is Right For You

Written By : Ramisha

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Introduction

 

                Birds can make lovely pets. Choosing one can be a tough decision depending on what you are looking for. It is important to know that each type of bird has its own different characteristics which should be considered beforehand. The cockatiel and the lovebird are among the most common birds kept as pets. They both have their own unique looks but are quite different when compared in other ways like their lifespans and how loud they can be. These two characteristics will help you find the bird that will provide you with long time companionship and that will be loud enough to your preference.

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Cockatiels provide long term companionship

 

                Just like any other type of bird, cockatiels have a shorter lifespan when they are in captivity. These birds usually live longer than the domesticated cats and dogs as “their life expectancy during captivity has found out to be up to 15 years, and even well up to 20 years. There has been a case where it was found to live up to 36 years. The life span is mainly based upon its well-being - physical and emotional” (Panse, 2011). Cockatiels have a pretty long lifespan compared to some other birds as small as them. The lifespan of 15-20 years can be extended by proper care if they are in captivity. If they are given the right type of food containing the nutrition they need, they will life longer because of good physical health. Showing love and affection towards them is also very important for their emotional well-being because they have a dog like personality. If you take care of them, they might live up to 36 years as recorded in one case.

 

 

Lovebirds have a short life

 

                On average, lovebirds do not live as long as the cockatiels. It has been discovered that “their average life span is between 10-12 years with some living even longer. The lovebird has been recorded at 17 years and several people have reported their birds living even longer than that. We have one person state that their lovebird lived for 25 years!” (Borough, 2016). Lovebirds live for quite a long time considering how small they are. Their lifespan is also mainly dependant on the care health and nutrition they are provided with. One person has stated that their lovebird lived for 25 years which is probably the maximum lifespan for a lovebird. Any lovebird living over 12 years of age has a live span above the average and they are not normally expected to live any longer than a maximum of 25 years. To sum it up, lovebirds generally live shorter than cockatiels.

 

 

Cockatiels have beautiful voices

 

                The cockatiels have beautiful voices and they imitate songs and tunes very well. However, are they quiet enough for a person living an apartment or for people who cannot tolerate loud noises? When cockatiels are healthy and active, they do “create some noise every now and then especially in the morning and late afternoon. However, if only one individual cockatiel is kept, the noise level that they are able to create is not much and still at minimal level compared to other bigger parrots” (Boon, 2005). These sounds and noises are either wonderful or unpleasant depending on the person keeping the bird. If the person prefers complete absence of sound then cockatiels are definitely not a good choice for a pet. Although if the person does not mind a little tweeting in their home then it is not a problem whatsoever. Keeping a single cockatiel doesn’t create much of a difference in our everyday life. If you are planning to get one, you should start by looking at an option like the cockatiel before planning to adopt a bigger bird like the very loud macaw bird.

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Lovebirds are very loud

 

                Lovebirds are almost never silent which can sometimes be annoying. They love to chatter all the time and are known to be “very vocal birds making loud, high pitched noises that can be a nuisance. They make noise all day, but especially at certain times of day. “(Johnson, 2016). Lovebirds are one of the type of bird species that are usually very loud. They are noisier than cockatiels and do not whistle or sing along to songs like cockatiels do. They chirp all day long which sometimes gets very annoying depending on the mood of the owner. You should not be fooled by their small size because you will be surprised how loud they can be once you hear them yourself. If you are not used to having a bird as a pet, you could try looking at some other options like the cockatiel first because they are quieter than lovebirds.

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Which breed is better?

 

          As a final point it is clear that cockatiels are a better option to keep as pet birds. They are quieter and they live longer than lovebirds. There is quite a big difference in the life spans of these two birds as the cockatiels life span can almost be twice as long as the lovebird according to the research. Though their pitch can vary depending on the bird’s mood. The cockatiels still make less noise in general than the lovebirds. The two bird species can be compared in many different ways to prove one better than the other but considering these two main factors, cockatiels make for a better pet than the lovebird.

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Links:

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http://www.buzzle.com/articles/cockatiel-life-span.html

http://animal-world.com/encyclo/birds/lovebirds/LovebirdProfile.htm

http://www.pet-cockatiel.com/cockatiel_best_petbird.html

http://www.rimrockaviary.com/cockatiel.html

http://www.africanlovebirdsociety.com/articles/pet_potential.html