What Kind of Bird is Best as a Pet?

Choosing a pet bird usually starts with a simple question: which species will fit your home, your noise tolerance, and the time you can genuinely give each day. Get it right and you’ll have a bright, watchful companion; get it wrong and the same bird can become stressed, noisy, or unwell.

Below is a practical way to choose, based on what birds need (space, diet, social contact, veterinary care) and what households can realistically provide—especially in Australian conditions.

What makes a bird a good pet?

A “good pet bird” is rarely the most impressive-looking one. It’s the bird whose needs match your routine, your neighbours, and your budget.

• Daily contact: most companion birds do best with consistent interaction and predictable handling.
• Noise: every bird makes noise; the question is whether the volume, pitch, and timing suit your household and any shared walls.
• Space and enrichment: a cage is a basecamp, not a life. Birds need room to move, chew, climb, forage, and (safely) fly.
• Diet quality: long-term health hinges on more than “a seed mix”. Many birds thrive best on a diet built around formulated food plus vegetables, with seed as a smaller component or treat.¹
• Clean air and hygiene: dried droppings and feather dust can carry pathogens; good cleaning technique and ventilation matter for bird and human health.^{2, 3}

Best beginner pet birds for many Australian homes

Budgerigars (budgies)

Budgies are small, social parrots that suit many households when their cage is spacious, their days include real interaction, and their environment stays busy with safe perches and chewable toys. They can learn simple cues and some individuals mimic sounds well, but they’re still prey animals—fast, alert, and easily stressed by rough handling.

Good match if: you want a small bird, you’re happy with frequent light chatter, and you can provide daily enrichment and gentle training.

Cockatiels

Cockatiels are often chosen for their whistling and expressive body language. They tend to bond strongly with familiar people and usually cope well with steady routines. Like all parrots, they need space, stimulation, and careful diet planning rather than an all-seed menu.¹

Good match if: you want a medium-small parrot with more “presence” than a budgie, and you can manage regular noise and daily handling.

Choosing the right bird for your lifestyle

Quick fit check

• Time: can you reliably provide daily interaction, plus cleaning and food prep?
• Noise tolerance: are you okay with morning and dusk vocal periods, and the occasional loud call?
• Space: do you have room for a properly sized cage and a safe out-of-cage area?
• Longevity: are you prepared for a long commitment (often many years) with ongoing costs?
• Household risk: birds can carry infections that affect people; good hygiene and safe cleaning practices reduce risk.^{2, 3}

A note on “bigger birds”

Large parrots can be intelligent and highly interactive, but they’re not automatically “better pets”. They often bring louder calls, stronger bites, higher housing costs, and a greater need for structured training and enrichment. If you’re new to birds, it’s usually wise to start smaller and learn what daily bird care really feels like.

Pros and cons of owning a bird

Pros

• Companionship and observation: birds are engaging to live with—always watching, listening, and responding to routine.
• Small footprint: compared with many mammals, birds can suit smaller homes when housing and flight time are planned properly.
• No walks required: but they still need exercise and stimulation every day.

Cons

• Noise and mess: feathers, husks, scattered food, and droppings are part of normal birdkeeping.
• Daily care: fresh food, water changes, and regular cleaning are non-negotiable.
• Health and vet costs: birds can hide illness; prompt veterinary attention is important if behaviour, droppings, appetite, or breathing changes.^{4, 5}

Training and socialising your pet bird

Training works best when it’s quiet, brief, and consistent. Aim for small behaviours you can reinforce—stepping onto a hand-held perch, coming to the cage door calmly, accepting gentle handling—rather than “tricks” for their own sake. The goal is a bird that can be moved safely, examined, and cared for with minimal stress.

Socialising should be controlled and cautious. Introducing your bird to unfamiliar animals, or forcing contact with strangers, can backfire. Keep new experiences short, predictable, and positive, and let the bird choose distance when it needs it.

Feeding and nutrition for pet birds

Many common pet birds do best on a diet built around a nutritionally balanced formulated food, supported by vegetables and other fresh items. Seed is often best treated as a smaller component or a reward, rather than the foundation of every meal.¹

Fresh, clean water should be available every day, and food and water containers should be cleaned regularly to limit build-up of droppings and bacteria.⁶

Common health issues in pet birds

Birds often mask signs of illness, so small changes matter. If you notice ongoing sneezing, discharge around the eyes or nostrils, fluffed feathers, weight loss, reduced appetite, changed droppings, or breathing effort, arrange an avian vet check.

Some bird infections can spread to people. Psittacosis (caused by Chlamydia psittaci) is caught mainly by breathing in contaminated dust from dried droppings or secretions. The practical prevention is simple: source birds responsibly, quarantine new birds where possible, clean in a way that doesn’t create dust (wet before wiping), wash hands, and avoid kissing birds.^{2, 3, 4, 7}

Housing and environment for pet birds

Choose the largest cage you can sensibly fit, prioritising width for movement and wing-stretching. Set it up like a small woodland: varied perches (different diameters and textures), safe chew items, and foraging opportunities that make the bird work a little for its food.

When cleaning, avoid dry sweeping or anything that blasts dust into the air. Lightly misting surfaces before cleaning helps keep particles down, and good ventilation keeps both bird and humans safer.^{4, 7}

Tips for bonding with your pet bird

• Be predictable: feed, uncover, and interact at roughly the same times each day.
• Go slowly at first: sit near the cage, talk softly, and let curiosity do the work.
• Reward calm behaviour: reinforce the moments you want repeated—quiet waiting, stepping up, gentle taking of food.
• Respect “back off” signals: pinned eyes, rigid posture, lunging, or retreating are information; pause and try again later.

Final thoughts

For many Australian households, budgies and cockatiels remain the most practical starting point: small enough to house well, social enough to bond, and common enough that good advice and veterinary care are easier to find. Choose the bird that fits your days, feed it well, keep the environment clean and interesting, and take any health changes seriously—birds live on fine margins, and they do best with steady, thoughtful care.^{1, 4}

References

1. RSPCA Australia Knowledgebase — What should I feed my birds?
2. Victoria State Government (Health) — Psittacosis (ornithosis, parrot fever)
3. Agriculture Victoria — Parrot fever (psittacosis) information
4. WorkSafe Queensland — Psittacosis (risk and safe cleaning practices)
5. NSW Health — Psittacosis control guideline
6. Queensland Government — Preventing diseases in backyard poultry (hygiene and cleaning basics)
7. US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) — Preventing psittacosis
8. NSW Department of Primary Industries — Avian chlamydiosis