Some people just don’t get birds – literally and figuratively. Birds can be noisy and messy, and you have to buy them a nice cage, playgym and toys. Even after you do all that, your bird might not always allow you to pick it up and pet it. So why do some of us choose to share our homes and  lives with feathered companions? I believe you’ll find the answers in the pages ahead.

Birds are as diverse as they come, with an array of personalities and quirks to match their many colors and sizes. You really do have to do your homework. The more you know, the more likely you are to have an enriched relationship. Once you understand and practice the basics of positive interaction, chances are you’ll be rewarded with positive behaviors. Offer your bird a balanced diet, ample exercise and opportunity to play, and you’re less likely to have a timid, bored, “perch potato.”

Their trust may not come unconditionally, but once you earn it, there’s nothing better. The moment your bird obligingly steps up onto your hand for the first time, gives you a hearty “Hello” when you enter the room or shrills with delight upon seeing its favorite food heading its way, you will realize what makes life with a feathered companion
so fulfilling.