{"id":12918,"date":"2015-09-30T05:53:47","date_gmt":"2015-09-30T05:53:47","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/lafeber.com\/pet-birds\/?p=12918"},"modified":"2025-08-07T20:19:45","modified_gmt":"2025-08-08T01:19:45","slug":"budgies-cockatiels-lovebirds-are-parrots-too","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lafeber.com\/pet-birds\/budgies-cockatiels-lovebirds-are-parrots-too\/","title":{"rendered":"Budgies, Cockatiels And Lovebirds Are Parrots Too!"},"content":{"rendered":"<h2>Small Birds Myths Vs. Facts<\/h2>\n<figure id=\"attachment_44136\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-44136\" style=\"width: 300px\" class=\"wp-caption alignright\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-44136\" src=\"https:\/\/lafeber.com\/pet-birds\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/04\/cockatiel-pearl-wm-kelly2357-300x300.jpg\" alt=\"Head and back of pearl cockatiel with head in profile\" width=\"300\" height=\"300\" srcset=\"https:\/\/lafeber.com\/pet-birds\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/04\/cockatiel-pearl-wm-kelly2357-300x300.jpg 300w, https:\/\/lafeber.com\/pet-birds\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/04\/cockatiel-pearl-wm-kelly2357-100x100.jpg 100w, https:\/\/lafeber.com\/pet-birds\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/04\/cockatiel-pearl-wm-kelly2357-768x768.jpg 768w, https:\/\/lafeber.com\/pet-birds\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/04\/cockatiel-pearl-wm-kelly2357.jpg 800w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-44136\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Photo by <a href=\"https:\/\/commons.wikimedia.org\/wiki\/File:Pearl_cockatiel.JPG\">Kelly2357<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by-sa\/3.0\">CC BY-SA 3.0<\/a>, via Wikimedia Commons<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Most people recognize a <a href=\"\/pet-birds\/species\/budgie-parakeet\/\">budgie<\/a>, <a href=\"\/pet-birds\/species\/cockatiel\/\">cockatiel<\/a> or <a href=\"https:\/\/lafeber.com\/pet-birds\/species\/lovebird\/\">lovebird<\/a> when they see one (although a budgie is often referred to by its more generic name &#8220;parakeet\u201d). What people might not realize is that these small birds are <a href=\"\/pet-birds\/species\/parrot\/\">parrots<\/a>, just like their bigger, sometimes flashier relatives like <a href=\"\/pet-birds\/species\/amazon-parrot\/\">Amazons<\/a>, <a href=\"\/pet-birds\/species\/african-grey-parrot\/\">African greys<\/a>, <a href=\"\/pet-birds\/species\/cockatoo\/\">cockatoos<\/a> and <a href=\"\/pet-birds\/species\/macaw\/\">macaws<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>Following are some myths and facts as they pertain to the smaller species of parrot.<\/p>\n<h2>Myth 1: Small Birds Don\u2019t Talk<\/h2>\n<figure id=\"attachment_43964\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-43964\" style=\"width: 300px\" class=\"wp-caption alignright\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-43964\" src=\"https:\/\/lafeber.com\/pet-birds\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/06\/budgie-cage-px-5493723-300x300.jpg\" alt=\"blue and white budgie climbing on bars inside cage\" width=\"300\" height=\"300\" srcset=\"https:\/\/lafeber.com\/pet-birds\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/06\/budgie-cage-px-5493723-300x300.jpg 300w, https:\/\/lafeber.com\/pet-birds\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/06\/budgie-cage-px-5493723-100x100.jpg 100w, https:\/\/lafeber.com\/pet-birds\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/06\/budgie-cage-px-5493723-768x768.jpg 768w, https:\/\/lafeber.com\/pet-birds\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/06\/budgie-cage-px-5493723.jpg 800w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-43964\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Photo from <a href=\"https:\/\/pixabay.com\/photos\/parrot-bird-beak-feathers-plumage-5493723\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Pixabay<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>It\u2019s true that many small birds typically do not amass large vocabularies compared to top talkers like Amazons and African grey parrots, but that doesn\u2019t mean all small birds are non-talkers. Many of the smaller species of parrot, especially males, can, and often do, learn to mimic a few words like, \u201cHello.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>And budgies, in fact, can become great talkers. How great? A budgie was once listed in the &#8220;Guinness Book of World Records\u201d for largest vocabulary. People might not recognize that a budgie is talking at first, because of the budgie\u2019s tendency to \u201cchatter talk\u201d, that is, you have to listen for the words\/phrases mixed in with the budgie\u2019s chattering vocalizations.<\/p>\n<p>Similarly, Quaker parrots, while more on the small\/medium size of the parrot-sizing chart, can often hold their own when it comes to the talking\/mimicking abilities of larger parrots, including that of the African grey parrot.<\/p>\n<h2>Myth 2: Small Birds Need Small Cages<\/h2>\n<p>Don\u2019t even think about housing a small bird in a small cage devoid of toys and other enrichment opportunities. The fact is, small birds can be real busy bodies. They need room to roam and\/or to flitter back and forth in the cage, which means a cage big enough to accommodate multiple perches.<\/p>\n<p>A cage marketed for small birds might be better suited as a travel cage than a main cage. When cage shopping for a small bird, consider going a size or two up, but pay attention to the bar spacing to make sure the gaps aren\u2019t too wide to allow the bird to stick his\/her head through.<\/p>\n<h2>Myth 3: Small Birds Only Like Seeds To Eat<\/h2>\n<p>A small bird\u2019s diet can be supplemented with good-quality seed, but that shouldn\u2019t be the only item on the menu. Not only is a seed-only diet void of important nutrients and high in fat, it is also bland. Small birds like budgies, cockatiels, and lovebirds can have a love of food that matches those of large parrots. Healthy people foods like whole-wheat pasta (sans sauce), brown rice and steamed vegetables can all be downsized to fit a small bird\u2019s portion size.<\/p>\n<p>There\u2019s a reason why Lafeber offers a small-bird line of its most <a href=\"\/bird-food\/parakeet\/\">popular nutritious foods<\/a> \u2014\u00a0small birds appreciate <a href=\"\/bird-food\/cockatiel\/\">fun-to-eat foods<\/a> as much as big birds.<\/p>\n<h2>Myth 4: Small Birds Are Hands Off<\/h2>\n<figure id=\"attachment_44035\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-44035\" style=\"width: 300px\" class=\"wp-caption alignright\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-44035\" src=\"https:\/\/lafeber.com\/pet-birds\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/10\/masked-lovebird-un-ni-6q8LI-CY-300x300.jpg\" alt=\"masked lovebird perched on hand\" width=\"300\" height=\"300\" srcset=\"https:\/\/lafeber.com\/pet-birds\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/10\/masked-lovebird-un-ni-6q8LI-CY-300x300.jpg 300w, https:\/\/lafeber.com\/pet-birds\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/10\/masked-lovebird-un-ni-6q8LI-CY-100x100.jpg 100w, https:\/\/lafeber.com\/pet-birds\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/10\/masked-lovebird-un-ni-6q8LI-CY-768x768.jpg 768w, https:\/\/lafeber.com\/pet-birds\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/10\/masked-lovebird-un-ni-6q8LI-CY.jpg 800w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-44035\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Photo by <a href=\"https:\/\/unsplash.com\/photos\/yellow-black-and-green-bird-ni-6q8LI-CY\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Jessica Wong\/Unsplash<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Small birds deserve daily out-of-cage time and one-on-one interaction as much as larger parrots do. If the concern is keeping a fully flighted small bird safe or more manageable (some can be a bit flighty), use a small, enclosed space, such as a bathroom (toilet lid down) for his\/her out of cage time.<\/p>\n<p>Moreover, small birds can learn to step up onto a finger or perch on request, and small birds can be among the cuddliest of feathered companions.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Here&#8217;s a look at some common small bird myths and facts.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":44136,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[171],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-12918","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-everyday","bird-type-parakeet","bird-type-cockatiel"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v28.2 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Budgies, Cockatiels And Lovebirds Are Parrots Too! 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She has authored a multitude of articles covering all aspects of pet birds and their care, and has had the opportunity to interview world-renowned avian behaviorists, veterinarians, aviculturists, researchers and conservationists. Her journey in the bird world has taken her to the remote areas of Brazil to see hyacinth macaws in their native habitat, as well as on bird-watching trips to Spain, Puerto Rico and Mexico. She is especially thankful to have met so many passionate pet bird owners throughout her years at the helm of Bird Talk magazine. Her interest in pet birds started at the age of 9, when she saved up her penny collection to buy Elvis, her cockatiel companion of 22 years. Little did she know then that her love of birds would some day lead to a career in which being chased by a cockatoo during a photo-shoot, having a 5-minute phone conversation with a reader\u2019s African grey parrot, hand-wrestling a caique to get her pilfered ring back and having her work desk \u201cre-decorated\u201d by a visiting Amazon parrot were all just another day at the office. She has a degree in English from the University of California, Davis.","sameAs":["https:\/\/lafeber.com\/pet-birds\/author\/laura\/"],"url":"https:\/\/lafeber.com\/pet-birds\/author\/laura\/"}]}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/lafeber.com\/pet-birds\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/12918","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/lafeber.com\/pet-birds\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/lafeber.com\/pet-birds\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lafeber.com\/pet-birds\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lafeber.com\/pet-birds\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=12918"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/lafeber.com\/pet-birds\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/12918\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":44357,"href":"https:\/\/lafeber.com\/pet-birds\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/12918\/revisions\/44357"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lafeber.com\/pet-birds\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/44136"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/lafeber.com\/pet-birds\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=12918"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lafeber.com\/pet-birds\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=12918"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lafeber.com\/pet-birds\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=12918"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}