If you own a pet, then it is a very big responsibility on your shoulder. Before owning any pet bird, it is better to decide whether it suits you or not. Many birds have the ability to cuddle, while others don’t have this ability.
Many families prefer to own a pet dog or cat. On the other hand, many families hate fur of cats and dogs due to allergic reactions.
In this situation, many families choose an alternative for cats and dogs that are birds. There are many bird lovers that want to own a smart bird. Choosing a smart bird is a right decision, because it requires less space and is not as expensive as dogs and cats.
In start your bird will show you some rude behavior, but after spending time with you, it will unable to cuddle with you. Patience and training are the most important factor for contact with your bird.
As a bird lover and caretaker for 8 years, here I will tell you the names of five smartest bird species. Here I will show the list from most preferred smartest to the least referred pet birds.
African Gray Parrot
Whenever you think about the smartest bird, the African gray parrot comes to mind. There are a lot of studies made on this parrot due to high levels of its smartness and intelligence.
One of the most popular African gray parrots died in 2007. His name was Alex and he died at the age of 31 years. Study was made by Dr Pepperberg, on Alex.
He took Alex from a pet store, when he was only one years old and examined Alex to know its level of intelligence.
Dr. Pepperberg used pigeon and many other words to check their intelligence but the result was disappointing. Alex was the first bird who was able to learn various things.
It was thought that he had an intelligence level similar to the intelligence level of a 5 years old human child. Up to his death, Alex learned about more than 100 words.
Many people think that Alex was not a famous parrot; he was just able to learn tricks. Besides this, Alex was trained and had a lot of impressive ability. Due to Alex, who is an African gray Parrot people think that all African gray parrots are intelligent and smart.
Hyacinth Macaws
There are many large bird species that are very smart and active. Macaws are one of them and take second number in the list of smart pet birds. There are different types of macaws in which Hyacinth Macaw is the largest Macaw in the Macaw family.
Macawa has a high level of intelligence. Their intelligence level is sometimes compared to a human baby. They are very brilliant in using various tools to solve problem, communication with other fellow species, pronouncing words etc.
A study made in Canada in 2018 shows that there is a significant difference in the sizes of parts of the brains of birds.
This study analyzes 98 different brains of birds and there is one bird that has a different part of the brain in size. This bird is Macaw. The bird’s brain has one special part named as the piriform nucleus.
This part of the brain is similar to the brain of a primate that includes monkeys, apes etc. This part of brain is responsible for talking, thinking etc. This part is much larger in this bird as compared to chicken and other parrots. It helps birds in problem solving. All these things become evidence that macaws are smart birds.
Cockatoos
At third number, cockatoos is the smartest bird. They are also a member of the parrot family. Cockatoos was first to make musical instruments. Cockatoos have a natural ability to make music by using various instruments or by their own.
Like in Australia, palm cockatoo used twigs to make drumsticks. They have the ability to understand the rhythm of music. A study made in 2014 on Goffin cockatoos, shows that they have the ability to recognize the stability of various objects.
This study actually shows the concept of object permanence. Nut in pocket is the basic concept that is used to describe the phenomena of object permanence in birds.
Unlike Goffin cockatoo, human babies are unable to do object permanence before the age of 2 years. This study shows that Goffin cockatoos have excellent smartness that is the reason for attraction for the owners.
Budgerigars
Budgies or Budgerigars are the same birds. Many people are confused by their names. Budgies are a type of parakeet. They are the smallest parrot in the parrot family. In real life, the parrotlet is the smallest parrot. It doesn’t mean that if the budgie is a small bird, it is not a smart bird. It is a smart bird that attracts all bird lovers.
Budgies are the first non mammal birds that understand human language. They have the same intelligence level as a 7 month old human child.
One study brings this result that budgies have the ability to recognize meaning less words and abstract patterns. After this study, budgies are also included in the list of intelligence species.
Conures
The fifth most smarter pet bird is conures. Conures have a very vast population found in every corner of the world. It has different species and is actually one of the most beautiful parrots.
The smartest species of conures include sun conure, jenday conure, green cheek conure etc. All of these species have excellent brains and excellent smartness. They required a lot of exercises, social activities and mental stimulation to unlock their smartness potential.
Conclusion
It is good to keep smarter birds as pet birds. If your pet bird is larger, then it requires more things. The larger the size, the larger the requirements. Naturally birds are smart species, but they require a lot of training to become more effective and intelligent.
Bonding is the best way to teach your bird various things and unlock their hidden potentials. Mental exercise is also good for birds, because it is helpful in development of behavior and to reduce boredom. All of these things required patience and a lot of time. If you have a creative, intelligent and smart creature, then you will be lucky.
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Thanks for reading!
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I’m Amna, and I absolutely adore birds, especially parrots. I’ve been immersed in the world of these colorful feathered friends for over 10 years. While I’m not a bird doctor, I’ve gathered a wealth of knowledge on how to care for and understand them.
My experiences extend to various bird species like parrots, macaws, cockatoos, canaries, and finches. In addition to my personal adventures with birds, I’ve dedicated time to volunteering at a local bird rehabilitation center.
My true passion lies in sharing what I know about parrots and birds with you. Through my articles, I aim to share the information you need to provide the very best care for your avian companions. So, let’s embark on this journey together and make your feathered friends’ lives as joyful and healthy as possible!