When it comes to choosing a bird to keep as a pet at home then the first bird that comes to anyone’s mind is the parrot. In my opinion, the main reasons to consider parrots as the best bird pets are their natural colorful beauty, playful nature, and intelligence. There are over 350 species of parrots around the world of which some are large measuring about 12-40 inches from head to tail. Some are mid-size species measuring from 10 to 15 inches and the rest are smaller species measuring from 4 to 7 inches. In this write-up, I am discussing some of the small parrots to find the smallest parrot in the world for you to choose as your pet.
Reasons To Choose Small Parrots As Pet
Many people all over the world keep parrots as pets for many centuries because of the affection, intelligence, and beauty they offer. Well-behaved parrots can also attract people who do not accept themselves as lovers of birds. According to me, parrots have many things in them which a pet owner can expect in his pet.
Another reason to have small birds as pets in a household is that they can be the best companion for people who have a lot of time to spend alone and birds can be taken care of in limited space with limited funds and limited mobility. These birds can be the best companions not only for children and elderly people but also for those who have never kept a pet in their home.
A Friend In Your Life
Small parrots or any other bird can also be the best companion for stay-at-home people. A single bird can be the best friend of humans if they spend a lot of time playing with them. Parrots will also entertain you if you take them out of their cage with care.
Easier To Take Care Of
Moreover, it is easy to groom birds as they hygienic animals by nature. Birds keep their feathers clean and shiny by preening them. Their owners can easily maintain their good looks and health even without using expensive flea baths, shampoos, and haircuts. You only have to trim nails from time to time.
However, often many people hesitate to have a parrot in their life even if they want to have one because they do not know much about the varieties of parrots good to have as a pet. Parrots can mainly be categorized into three categories according to their size including large, medium, and small. Small parrots are considered the best companions at home as they can be managed easily as compared to other types of parrots.
I have briefly described some of the small parrots in this write-up to help you in choosing the smallest parrot in the world that may suitable for you:
Pygmy Parrot
This parrot is considered the smallest member of the family of parrots around the world. Originally these parrots belonged to the forests of New Guinea and the islands nearby it. Mostly these tiny birds are of bright highlighted green color and they move very fast. Pygmy normally uses their beak, stiff feathers of tail, and large feet to climb through plants to pass their time.
The buff-faced pygmy parrots are considered the smallest species of parrots because of their size i.e. nearly 8 cm or 3 inches from head to tail. However, pygmy parrots can rarely be kept successfully in captivity. These little birds can die quickly as they are kept in a cage. It can be due to deficiency in their diet and the stress of being kept in captivity.
Like a few other birds, pygmy can accept lichens and fungi as part of their routine diet. It is hard to understand their dietary needs precisely.
Budgies
These tiny parrots, also known as Parakeet, are among the most popular bird species kept as pets for a long. Parrot lovers who are not ready to have a large bird as pets usually like these small parrots as they are one of the smallest parrots in the world. Budgies can easily learn to talk like humans and some of them have a vocabulary containing hundreds of words.
Though budgies are quieter than many other species of small parrots still they can learn tricks to entertain their owners. Although budgies hey can be housed in a small cage still they need enough space to exercise and play. Usually, people living in apartments like to have Budgie as a pet because they can be adjusted in a smaller space as compared to large and medium-sized parrots.
Budgie parrots usually eat a variety of fruits, seeds, vegetation, and berries in the wild but in captivity, they are more curious and playful. They can be wonderful pets if tamed young as they are neither noisy nor destructive by nature.
Usually, budgies do not live long as they rarely reach double-digit age. However, they can be at risk of tumors and lipomas so you should be careful about feeding them a fat-rich diet.
A pet budgie can also have a piping and high voice which allows him to sing along with talking to you. When alone, he can see his image in the cage mirror and start singing continuously.
Poicephalus
It is a group of various species of small parrots which include parrots known as Meyer’s and Senegal parrots as well as Jardine and Red Belies parrots. These parrots are commonly kept as pets because of their small size. The range of their size of different sub-species in this group varies from 5″ to 13″.
Mainly these parrots are found in gray and green colors but most of them also have a touch of yellow, blue, or orange colors to make them look more attractive. Normally these parrots are very quiet as compared to various other small parrots. Though all the parrots in this group can mimic and talk these skills are abundantly found in red belly parrots.
These parrots are well socialized and cuddly if raised carefully. But if not raised carefully then they can be nervous, fearful, and shy. It can make them bite and anti-social by nature. While training these parrots you will have to be patient to gain their trust.
Poicephalus should be handled gently and can be taught to climb steps and repeat some phrases. They can suffer from diseases like aspergillosis, bornavirus, feather plucking, and heart disease.
Cockatiels
Though these parrots are slightly larger than the other small parrots in this list still they are very popular among the small parrots kept as pets by old as well as young pet owners because of their playful and affectionate nature and attractive personalities. They love owners who spend a lot of time with them every day to exercise, socialize and play.
Some of them can learn a few words but most of them like to reproduce household sounds like doorbells and telephone bell etc instead of the human voice. Cockatiels normally like to whistle and sing but some of the male parrots of this species can learn some of the words spoken by humans.
Cockatiels can be tamed easily if reared by parents. They are the best parrots for the first-timers as they are easily available in pet shops. You can take them out with you as they can be trained with a harness easily. Though you can also allow them to fly freely in the open there is a risk of predator’s attack like hawks and crows.
Normally Cockatiels are grey in color but male parrots can have yellow patches on their face. In captivity, their lifespan can be between 15 and 25 years when tamed carefully.
In raising a cockatiel you may encounter problems with your cockatiel problem. Whether it’s in terms of health or behavior. Here are some articles that I have summarized to help you raise cockatiels:
- Why Is My Cockatiel Hanging Upside Down?
- Why Does My Cockatiel Have Labored Breathing?
- Cockatoo vs Cockatiel: The Ultimate Selection Guide
Parrotlets
A lovely Parrotlet can be the best and smallest parrot species for you if you are looking for one to have a pet in your home. These parrots are available in several unique varieties to choose from but all of them can prove to be wonderful pets if cared for properly.
People who want to own them as pets must have a lot of time to spend with them as they like to do a lot of exercise and socialization. Parrotlets usually have attractive personalities to outshine other parrots but some of them can also learn to talk like humans. People also love these parrots for their comical presentations.
In captivity, the lifespan of these parrots is nearly 20-30 years. So you will have to add them to your family with a long time commitment.
Lovebirds
These beautiful parrots with colorful feathers originally belong to Africa. They are undoubtedly one of the best pet parrots because of their stunning looks. You can find various types of lovebird parrots but if they are socialized and trained properly all of them can be the best pets for you.
Lovebirds can be charming little performers in different ways by learning ticks to entertain their companions but they do not like to learn talking like humans. Many people are of the view that these parrots must be kept in pairs but in my view, it is a misconception.
According to many owners of lovebirds, they can be better pets if they are captivated alone because they will be more attached to you. The lifespan of a lovebird parrot in captivity can be nearly 15 to 25 years. So before adding it to your family you must consider this point also.
Small Conures
The parrots of small conure species can be the best choice for people searching for a small bird to keep as a pet. Conure parrots are found in various sizes ranging from 6-10 inches like half-moon conure and black-capped conure. So you can choose from them as per your liking.
Most of the pet owners like them for this bonding with their owners, their intelligence, and love to play games and learn tricks even if some of them are louder by nature. In captivity, their average lifespan is nearly 20 years so while keeping them as pets you must have this point in your mind.
Another reason for the popularity of the parrots of this species is that people living in limited spaces can easily keep them in small spaces.
Moreover, various types of conures allow you to choose as per your liking. Sun conure is a bit noisy but its orange and yellow colored feathers make it amazingly beautiful. Pineapple conure is smaller in size but a quiet and less showy bird.
Small conures usually do not like to learn talking but they are good to learn tricks. They use their tricks to interact with their owners. However, you can easily train your parrots if you start training them at a younger age as they are ready to learn throughout their life.
Some Of The Small Parrots Found In The UK
Alexandrines And Ringnecks
In the UK these green birds are kept as a pet like semi-feral. They are gaining popularity as indoor pet birds in captivity. In my opinion, they can be the best pets as they are very affectionate by nature.
Ringnecks are found in many colors but some of their breeds can be found in natural blue color. If you have patience, time and skills then you can make them learn tricks but they are least interested in learning to talk.
Kakariki
Kakariki is another small lively green bird, originated from New Zealand, which can be kept in outdoor cages. Originally they are green colored with a topknot of red color but today you can also find them in blue and yellow pied variants. Gradually they are also becoming popular as indoor pets.
For their lively indoor activities, many people harness them but personally, I do not consider it right. You should put it in the outdoor cage to enjoy its active flights. They can live happily in pairs like cockatiels and lovebirds. They are excellent parents when breeding freely.
Things To Consider While Buying A Small Parrot
While buying a small parrot as a pet you must consider a few things like your commitment to take care of it as parrots usually have a long lifespan. You must have time to spend with your pet. Ensure its safety from other animals as well as take care of its health and be prepared to bear expenses of its food and health care.
You might consider the appearance of a parrot in your choice of choosing, from a feather color for example. Here are some articles that can help you choose your best feathered friends:
