I own a Green Cheek Conure, and the last few years with him has been truly rewarding. I've never considered myself to be a bird sort of person, but having a pet bird has changed my perspective on this amazing species. Here are a couple things I've learned since adopting Skye.

1. Very Social

My pet Skye is a very friendly bird. In fact, he absolutely hates being alone. You can always find him perched on someone's shoulder or sitting next to someone in our family. And he doesn't just sit quietly — he rushes to cuddle your hand or gently bite your finger to initiate some playtime. It's the cutest.

2. Loyal

Dogs are not the only creatures to protect their owners against the fiercest of adversaries. Birds are just as territorial. Once they believe their flock to be in danger, they will puff themselves up and get ready to ferociously bite their enemies.

3. Playful

Birds loves to play simple games with anyone in the family. Some of Skye's personal favorites include tug of war (usually with a pencil or piece of string) and hide and seek. You'd be surprised how intense these games can get.

4. Intelligent

It depends on the species, but most birds can recognize certain words or even speak. Green Cheek Conures are able to speak after careful conditioning, but Skye hasn't reached that level yet. He can recognize frequently spoken words though, such as "cage" and "goodnight."

5. Fairly Low Maintenance

Dogs need walking atleast once a day, but birds are happy enough to sit inside their cages (or to be let out, depending on how comfortable the bird owner feels). And they shed a lot less, too.

6. Cost

Taking care of a bird definitely costs less than taking care of a dog or cat. Birdseed, cages, toys, visits to the vet and more are all lower in cost than that for a dog, making birds the ideal pet for those with a lower budget.

7. Long life

Yes, birds live for generally a very long time but again, this depends on the species. Green Cheek Conures are supposed to live anywhere between 20 to 30 years so you won't have to worry about a early goodbye.

8. Environment

Birds make less noise than cats and dogs. They occasionally chirp when they are extremely happy or agitated, but the majority of the time, they are well behaved. Not only that, but they defecate less than the regular household pet.