Is a bird a suitable pet for me? Everything you need to know can be found here.

The birds kept as pets can range from small finches to large flightless birds, from the familiar chicken to exotic parrots. Depending on the type of bird, they can be kept indoors or outdoors. Many birds enjoy living in a group, others prefer to live as a couple, and sometimes birds prefer to live alone. Birds need a lot of space, can be very intelligent, and often live longer than you might think. The needs of birds vary greatly, for example, in terms of food, housing, and care.

Make sure to research thoroughly before making a choice.

Keeping Birds as Pets: What Are Your Options?

Firstly, you need to precisely determine what kind of bird you want. Owning a bird is not limited to the birds you find in the pet store. You can also own farm birds or keep birds of prey. Let's take a look at all of them.  

•     Pet Birds

There are many birds you can purchase from pet stores and local breeders in your area. The bird trade is lively; some owners buy different species from all over the world and incorporate them into their household. Your bird choice will depend on the kind of companionship you seek, so be selective.

     - Large Birds:

Larger birds such as parrots, cockatoos, or cockatiels can be incredibly rewarding for the right owners. However, it's essential to bear in mind that these birds require special care to remain healthy, as they are tropical animals that need a specific environment and diet. Due to their high intelligence, large parrots do not fare well when left alone for long periods. They require interaction and affection from their owner and may become depressed or restless if this doesn't happen. They also have an impressive lifespan; sometimes they outlive their owners, which can lead to unfortunate situations. In the event that something happens to you, you may need to make a plan so that your bird doesn't end up without a home.

How old does a certain species of parrot live to be?

• African Grey Parrots: 40 to 60 years
• Amazon Parrots: 25 to 75 years
• Budgerigars (Budgies): 5 to 18 years
• Caiques: up to 50 years 
• Cockatiels: 10 to 15 years
• Cockatoos: 20 to 60 years, with an average lifespan around 30 years
• Eclectus Parrots: 30 to 50 years
• Lorikeets (Lories): 10 to 30 years
• Macaws: 30 to 50 years or more, depending on the species
• Senegal Parrots: up to 50 years (in the wild, the average lifespan is about 25 years)
• Pionus Parrots: 25 years

     - Medium-Sized Birds: 

Medium-sized birds such as budgerigars and conures are generally pleasant to keep. They have a shorter lifespan than their parrot relatives. They are an excellent choice for novice owners as they are easy to care for and bond well with their owners. Some of these birds can be louder and more temperamental than others. For example, conures are much noisier than calm cockatiels. It is important to research the specific bird you want to see what you can expect from that species.

How old does a budgerigar or conure live to be?

• A budgerigar can live approximately between 10 and 17 years.
• The lifespan of a conure is much longer, ranging between 20 and 30 years.

     - Small Birds: 

Smaller bird species such as budgerigars, finches, and canaries can be excellent pets. However, there is a significant difference between these species. Smaller tropical birds seem to inherit many of the characteristics of their larger relatives. Other birds, such as finches and canaries, are never as calm or friendly. You must be very careful with them as they are skittish and delicate. Many smaller birds are most suitable for experienced bird owners.

How old does a budgerigar, finch, or canary live to be?

• The age of budgerigars can vary greatly depending on the species.
• Budgerigars typically live between 5 and 20 years.
• The ring-necked parakeet can even live between 20 and 25 years.
• A canary can live between 8 and 12 years in captivity. Males generally live longer than females.
• A finch will often not live longer than 6 to 8 years, and sometimes it can be as short as 1 to 2 years.

• Bird Pairs:

If you don't like the idea of having just one bird in the house, we have another idea.

If you live on land with some space, you might consider keeping a flock of chickens, ducks, peafowl, or geese. Each animal has specific needs and requirements, but they are all flock animals, which means you should always have several of them at once.

Even though they are not traditional pets, these animals can be useful and fun to care for. You can also enjoy delicious fresh eggs.

Flock animals are generally easy to feed, as they spend most of their time foraging for their own food. However, you should take safety measures to protect them from predators and other dangers.

Although not everyone considers these birds traditional pets, they can be very entertaining farmyard companions. Plus, these animals can serve as an excellent lesson in responsibility for growing children.

How old does a chicken, duck, peafowl, or goose live to be?

The average age of a chicken ranges between 5 and 10 years. This varies a bit depending on the breed. Some chicken breeds, however, may only live for 3 years, while others can live to be 20 years or older. The lifespan of a duck in captivity can be up to 10 years or older. Smaller duck breeds tend to live longer than larger breeds. A peafowl in captivity can easily live up to 25 years, and the same goes for geese; they can also live up to 25 years. There are even reports of geese living to be 40 years old.

• Wild Birds:

In our country, there is a law against keeping wild birds in captivity. All naturally occurring wild bird species in the Netherlands fall under the protection of the Nature Conservation Act. However, there may be situations where you find an orphaned or injured bird. To ensure the safety and recovery of the bird, you should contact a wildlife rehabilitation center in your area. You can find this information on the website of the Vogelbescherming Nederland (Bird Protection Netherlands).

Even if the facility you contact cannot assist you with your current issue, they will guide you and provide advice. Almost every province has a nature conservation department that handles these situations. Often, they try to rehabilitate the animal and release it back into the wild, where it belongs.

Although it may be tempting to keep a wild bird if you ever come across one, the reality is that most people are simply not equipped to deal with the challenges it presents. Not to mention that wild birds can carry diseases, so always wash your hands after handling them.

     - Falconry: 

Sometimes, you can obtain the right permits to own a variety of birds of prey. Typically, this process involves trapping the bird from the wild and then taming it. You then train the bird for hunting, which can be rewarding for a sportsman.

While most of these birds are usually released back into the wild after a few years, the time you have them is certainly an educational experience. However, there is a rigorous process you must go through to do so.

This method of bird ownership is a bit of a challenge and not what you would consider a traditional pet situation.

Benefits of birds as pets:

Birds can be exceptional pets for the right kind of people - but are you one of them? Here are some key benefits to show you why keeping birds might be something for you.

• Birds are very affectionate.                                                                                                                                          
• Birds are full of personality.                                   
• Birds are beautiful creatures.
• Birds are highly interactive with people.
• There are many species to choose from.                                                                                        
• Birds are generally easy to care for.
• Birds are caged animals.