4,133 answers about birds
Parrots, budgies, cockatiels and finches each come with their own care questions — diet, cage setup, taming, noise and health. This page gathers the bird library of KinsLe Answers in one place, organized by topic so keepers can find a straight answer fast. Every answer is original, written by KinsLe, and tied to a real KinsLe feature.
625 answers in Choosing & Adopting — page 5 of 27
A scarlet-chested parrot stays genuinely small, reaching only about 19 to 21 centimetres, roughly 8 inches, from beak to tail as a fully grown adult. Most healthy adults weigh just 35 to 45 grams, in the same featherweight class as a budgie. That tiny size demands fine bar spacing and a calm aviary or cage setting,…
A regent parrot grows to about 40 to 42 centimetres, roughly 16 inches, from beak to tail tip when fully grown, and like many Australian parakeets most of that is elegant tail. Its narrow body keeps the weight modest, with healthy adults commonly around 150 to 190 grams. Give it the longest cage you can, because this…
A red lory grows to roughly 28 to 31 centimetres, about 11 to 12 inches, from beak to tail when fully grown. It is heavier through the chest than its length suggests, with healthy adults commonly weighing around 140 to 180 grams. That makes it one of the more substantial lories, and it needs a roomy cage and sturdy…
A rainbow lorikeet grows to about 25 to 30 centimetres, roughly 10 to 12 inches, beak to tail, as a fully grown adult. It is a solid, muscular little parrot for that length, with most healthy adults weighing between about 75 and 140 grams. Its medium size comes with a very active, acrobatic nature, so cage width and…
A princess parrot, also called the Princess of Wales parakeet, grows to roughly 40 to 46 centimetres, about 16 to 18 inches, from beak to tail tip when fully grown. Its body is slim and elegant rather than heavy, and most adults weigh around 90 to 120 grams despite that impressive length. Plan for a long cage that…
A fully grown plum-headed parakeet measures about 33 centimetres, roughly 13 inches, from crown to tail tip, and most of that length is the long, tapered tail this slender Asian parakeet carries. The body itself is slight, and a healthy adult usually weighs only around 70 to 90 grams, so it feels far smaller in the…
A fully grown moustached parakeet reaches about 13 to 15 inches from beak to tail, with a long, elegant tail accounting for much of that length and a slim, athletic body in between. It is a medium Asian parakeet, clearly larger than a cockatiel in length though lighter in build, and it needs a wide flight cage and…
A fully grown lineolated parakeet is one of the smallest pet parrots, reaching only about 6 to 7 inches from beak to tail, with a short tail and a plump, rounded body that makes it look like a tiny green apple with wings. Its small size means a modest cage footprint, but a linnie still needs room to climb, fly short…
A fully grown kakariki reaches about 10 to 11 inches from beak to tail, with a long tail making up much of that length and a slim, active body that weighs far less than its measurements suggest. This New Zealand parakeet is built for constant motion, so despite its modest size it needs a wide flight cage and daily…
A fully grown hill mynah reaches about 10 to 12 inches from beak to tail, making it a solid, starling-family bird noticeably larger and heavier-bodied than a budgie or cockatiel and comparable to a small pigeon in heft. Its strong beak, broad head, and muscular build mean it needs a large, sturdy cage with wide flight…
A fully grown Hahn's macaw is the smallest macaw, reaching about 12 to 14 inches from beak to tail tip, with much of that length in the tail, and a compact, chunky body roughly the size of a small conure's. Adults are big enough to need a cage with room to spread their wings and a play stand, yet small enough to sit…
Scarlet-chested parrots are vulnerable around other pets and should be kept fully separated from cats and dogs, because this ground-feeding grass parrot startles into flight and spends its day exactly where a predator's paws and jaws work. Even a calm dog's paw or a curious cat watching the cage floor can stress a…
Scarlet-chested parrots suit children best as birds to watch rather than handle, because this small grass parrot is fragile, easily startled, and rarely becomes tame enough to enjoy being held. A calm older child can enjoy feeding it at floor level, keeping a notebook of its colors and calls, and watching it forage,…
Scarlet-chested parrots are not the easiest first bird, because this quiet grass parrot is delicate, ground-oriented, and sensitive to cold, damp, and stress in ways a hardier beginner species is not. A first-time owner who can offer a warm, calm room, a wide flight cage or aviary-style setup, and ground-level…
Plum-headed parakeets are poor candidates for free contact with other pets, because this small, shy parakeet is easily stressed and is natural prey for cats and most dogs. A plum-headed can live in the same house as other animals when its cage is secure in a room that closes, its flight time happens with the other…
Plum-headed parakeets can be good with children who are old enough to be gentle and quiet, because this soft-voiced species startles easily and bonds slowly rather than tolerating rough handling. An older child who sits beside the cage, whistles back, and offers food through the bars often earns real trust from a…
Plum-headed parakeets are among the gentler first parakeets, but easy is relative, because this quiet Asian species still needs daily out-of-cage flight, a varied seed and vegetable diet, and patience while its trust builds slowly. A first-time owner who expects a bird that demands handling on day one will find the…
A Hahn's macaw can live peacefully in a home with other pets, but only behind clear boundaries, because this small, bold macaw is prey to a cat or dog no matter how confident it acts. Keep the Hahn's caged or on a stand in a room the other animals cannot enter unsupervised, and never let a dog mouth or a cat paw reach…
Hahn's macaws can be good with calm, older children who are taught to read the bird and handle it gently, but they are a poor match for toddlers and rough or unpredictable handling: a Hahn's has a strong beak, startles at sudden grabs, and bonds closely enough to get jealous around its favorite person. Every…
A Hahn's macaw is not a typical easy first bird, though it is one of the most manageable macaws for a prepared beginner: it is a true macaw in miniature, with a strong beak, a loud voice, high social needs, and a lifespan measured in decades. A first-time owner who has researched conure- and macaw-level noise, daily…
Not really: caiques are weak talkers. They can learn a few words and are enthusiastic mimics of whistles, laughs and household sounds, but their rough, growly voices make speech hard to understand, and they sit well below greys, Amazons and ringnecks as talkers. Nobody should buy a caique for conversation; buy one for…
Yes, Indian ringneck parakeets are excellent talkers, among the clearest of the mid-sized parrots. A ringneck's voice is high-pitched and remarkably distinct, and both sexes can learn phrases, though patient daily teaching through the bird's independent bluffing stage is what separates talkers from silent pets. Their…
Senegal parrots are moderate talkers at best. They can learn words and household sounds and some individuals speak clearly, but as a species they are mid-table talkers, quieter and less prolific than greys or Amazons. Their charm lies more in playful, clownish companionship and whistles than in conversation, so choose…
Yes, eclectus parrots are capable, often underrated talkers. Their voices can be surprisingly clear and sometimes almost childlike in tone, and individuals who bond closely with a person may learn phrases well, though they are generally less driven performers than Amazons or greys. A quieter, watchful temperament…
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