Its well know the world over that parrots make the best companion birds.
Within their intelligent and cuddly nature lies a variety of breathtaking species that come in all kinds of stunning colors, shapes, sizes, and dispositions.
And YES, parrots can recognize their owners.
From tiny parakeets, medium-sized Quakers, and large parrots, such as Amazon greys and cockatoos, parrots form deep bonds with their owners and gradually internalize their face and voice.
They can master their owners enough to tell them apart from other people and even members of their family.
Parrots might not tell their owners scent, but they definitely can sight and hear them. Many birdies will call their owners when in another room, down the street, or around the corner.
For more insight into this topic, please read through the post to the end.
Do Parrots Bond with Their Owners
One of the main reasons why parrots can tell their owners from other people is because of the deep bonds they form with humans.
Most species are flock birds that companion with group mates in the wild, but when kept at home, they instead create this bond with owners or a favorite member of the family, especially when kept singly.
However, a parrot bonding with its owner is subject to the form and level of interaction between them.
Many birds are social and prefer to spend 80 to 90 percent of their day with their favorite person.
This means a busy owner or one that travels for lengthy periods may not form a bond as deep as that of a present keeper. Instead, the parrot will bond with the person they spend the most time with, such as a child in the family or the owner’s spouse.
A parrot that has bonded with the owner will often flock pine-for and call out for their favorite person when out of sight, and if the person is away on a trip, most will be visibly lonely and restless.
Do Parrots Show Affection
Parrots show affection to humans, but only if they have bonded with them. Usually, they display this by cozying up to their owner for a little cuddle or petting time.
Most will also perch on the owner’s shoulder or lap when they are not in the cage or call out while locked inside the coop.
My birds want to cuddle and love nothing more than sitting with and talking to me, not wanting to return to the cage expect to sleep: Rachel Strickland, Bird owner.
That said, please note that different birds show affection differently. Even something as simple as cuddling can vary between birdies.
One birdie may want to nestle just beneath your chin, while another prefers to snuggle with you in the blankets, others may still want to roll onto their back and chill while you pet them.
To improve interaction with your bird, spend time with it and try to learn how he (or she) communicates. Moreover, understand what different physical appearance means on different birdies.
For instance, if you have a cockatiel, learn what each crest position indicates to better understand how to react or respond with the bird.
Do Parrots Get Attached to Their Owner
Yes, parrots that have bonded with their owners quite often get attached to them, sometimes to an extent where a bird becomes sad and lonely when their favorite person is not around.
However, it also depends on the parrot species, the environment, and how many people it considers companions.
From experience, parrot types like lovebirds and Quakers get considerably hitched to mates and owners.
A solitary love bird will bond deeply with a person who invests time and patience in its care and training.
Having said this, note that while considering attachment in parrots, we are mainly talking about an attraction that is a tad more than bonding and borderline emotional…
…and not merely the typical affection parrots show to their owners or favorite person.
This tends to happen more when a parrot is raised away from a flock or companion.
The parrot gradually developing a dependency on the owner for stimulation, security, and oddly, even romance.
One last thing to note is that this form of attachment, and affection in general, is more apparent in parrots species. But not so much other home birds like finches, canaries, pigeons, doves, and chicken.
What Birds Bond with Humans
While there are plenty of bird species that make ideal companion pets, they all offer varying value to their owners. But in my experience, only parrots show a real connection and affection to human beings.
Other birds are more ornamental, or in the case of canaries, a singing species.
Below are five birds (including parrots) that will show you the best affection when kept at home.
**#1—**Parakeets
Parakeets are tiny and adorable and offer a bust of affection to owners that make enough time for them.
They are especially ideal for new owners or kids looking for a companion pet, though they are pretty likely on the duller side for experienced owners.
Another plus of keeping cuddly parakeets is their less care and maintenance needs. Their small size allows keepers to have them even in tiny apartments.
**#2—**Cockatiel
Cockatiels are a lot like parakeets in terms of size and ease of maintenance. As such, they are ideal mates for kids and newbies seeking affectionate companion birds.
They are almost as intelligent as budgies (if not equally) and can be as entertaining as cockatoos but with lesser needs and necessities.
**#3—**Conures
Conures are medium-sized parrots ideal for keepers with modest birding skills. They are a little larger than parakeets, cockatiels, and lovebirds, but tiny than African greys, macaws, and Amazons.
In terms of maintenance, they are not much tasking than the smaller parrots but are more lively, active, and arguably better cuddlers.
They are perhaps also more deliberate with their affection and emotions than parakeets and cockatiels, though it varies between individual birds.
**#4—**Quakers
Almost equally sized to conures, Quakers arguably epitomizes affection to owners, sometimes even bordering on attachment.
Also called Monk parakeets, these birdies will quite often want you to hang around and be goofy with them, particularly when not maintained in a pair.
Therefore, if you decide to get a Quaker, ensure you have a somewhat flexible schedule enough to make time for your bird, plus offer them stimulating toys for them to channel their energy while you are away.
**#5—**Cockatoos
I’m not sure if it’s just me, but cockatoos are probably the most cuddly parrots they are. Maybe because of their fuller bodies compared to cockatiels and mid-sized Psictaccines like conures.
Or perhaps it’s because unlike African greys, which are more prized as talkers, cockatoos more naturally fit in as companions.
If their needs are met, your cockatoo will be affectionate, comical, mischievous, and easy to get along with.
The only downside of cockatoos is their phobic and behavioral issues, such as plucking and screaming when not well-nourished and stimulated.
**#6—**African Greys
If your preference is skewed towards larger companions parrots and you prefer not getting a cockatoo, African grey parrots are an ideal alternative.
They are especially perfect if you are looking for a trainable bird and an ideal talker.
African greys are indisputably the best talking parrots and come with the affection and comical nature of a cockatoo.
**#7—**Doves and Pigeons
Doves and pigeons make affectionate candidates for keepers not eager to keep parrots. They almost equally as cuddly, with lesser care and maintenance needs.
You also won’t need to constantly watch a dove or pigeon as you would with a parrot. You can even leave them outside, uncaged. They often wander off but eventually find their way home.
If you are a bird keeper and haven’t considered keeping these adorable birdies, you should probably give it a thought because they are pretty awesome.
That’s all for this post.
Happy Birding???.