As with any other type of pet, birds need veterinary care and proper living conditions.  In the past, birds used to be animals that were put in cages and fed for the rest of their lives.  It was not until a few years ago that people began to understand that as with other type of pets, birds need attention, socialization and constant interaction.

"As with any companion animal, potential bird adopters should be ready to invest money for regular veterinary care, a varied diet, appropriately-sized cages and toys," says Jacque Schultz, ASPCA director of special projects. "Birds are social creatures.  Those in the parrot family depend on human contact for their happiness and well-being.  Owners must be prepared to spend time playing with and talking to their feathered friends."

As with dogs, you have to choose the bird that is appropiate to your lifestyle. ASPCA in its article of December 26th., 2002 suggested:

• I don't like a lot of mess. Choose small birds, such as parakeets, canaries, finches or lovebirds.
• I don't like loud screaming birds. Although there are individual exceptions, avoid conures, parrots and cockatoos.
• I don't have much space. Choose any bird, as long as you allow for a large enough cage and time out of it almost every day.
• I am afraid of being bitten by my bird. If this is a concern, find out how large your bird will be when fully grown. As babies, medium and large-sized birds are very sweet and have little beak strength. Butwhen they mature, they can become somewhat aggressive, their beaks more powerful and their behavior somewhat erratic. Instead, choose a smaller bird, such as a cockatiel, who is less able to cause harm when they bite.
• I want my bird to talk. African Gray parrots and Amazon parrots are considered the best talkers, but there is no guarantee that your bird will talk. Birds who speak the most are those who are spoken to most often.
• I am concerned about how my new bird will get along with other pets and young children. Adequate space and close adult supervision will promote harmony among birds, children and other pets. You will need a room in which you can close off your bird for his or her protection when you are not present, even if you are just in another room. If you have a very large bird, such as a macaw, you may need to protect your children and other pets from the bird if he has been provoked inadvertently.
• I want my bird to bond with me, so maybe I'll buy an unweaned bird. Newborn, unweaned birds, like human infants, need to be fed by hand, which requires a great deal of care. Also, they are more likely to develop problems that weaned birds (birds able to eat by themselves) don't experience. So if you have no prior experience hand-feeding birds, make sure the bird you select is weaned. As for the bonding issue, birds that are young but already weaned bond very well with caring and affectionate owners.

The average lifespam of a bird is usually between 3-50+ years, so YES, birds are a long term commitment and in some cases it might outlive you.

ASPCA published an article called "A Bird's Life", make sure to check it out at: