by Jerica Collins

Created on: May 11, 2011   Last Updated: May 13, 2011

Birds make fantastic pets. There are various sizes, colors and sounds they make, some with the ability to talk. Birds can be enjoyed by young and old. Children seem to especially find fascination in these intelligent creatures, but not all birds are suitable to be around children.

Finches

These little birds are generally not very tame, but offer great entertainment watching and listening to them. In the finch family there is a very wide variety. From Java Finchesto the itty bitty Zebra Finch, none of these birds are very big, but still offer variation. They make great pet birds for children because they are fairly simple to care for and fun to watch. Not having to handle these birds makes it safer for the bird and the child. There is a large range of species of finches and may offer a wide variety of colors. Even sounds vary amongst the finch group. Some even sing, more specifically the males of the species. Most finches are anywhere from 3-6 inches in length so can also have relatively small cages compared to those of parrots. However these birds tend to prefer a cage that is longer than it is tall as they fly back and forth and don't generally receive out of cage time. A large aviary of finches with a small variety of species that can coexist make for a lot of fun. To a child it could be like watching wild birds up close, learning how they interact together and build nests. Finches are best kept with other finches.

Parakeets/Budgies

These little parrots are relatively small and easily held by children. When socialized properly they can bond closely with owners and potentially learn to speak words, though much harder to understand than a large parrot. Parakeets can be fun as they may learn commands such as "step up" so that a child can hold the bird on their finger or hand. They also enjoy playing with toys. It is important to note, however, that the bird is best taught young to be handled so that he will not bite. A bite from a parakeet can actually cause a lot of damage, especially on a child, because they have a hooked bill. Parakeets being only 8 inches in length including their tail are easily handled by children if tame. These chipper birds also come in a variety of colors for your child to choose from and can be kept alone if enough attention is given.

Parrotlet

These are another very small parrot, similar in size to a parakeet, but known as the tiny parrot with big personality. They are very sociable birds when

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