In this Part 1 of Sally Blanchard’s article, she explores the delights of some of the smaller family birds

Both Budgies and Cockatiels have been incredibly popular avian companions for what seems like forever, but since I first started having companion parrots in my life over 40 years ago, there have been quite a few parrot-family birds that are just a handful, which have become very popular with people. I met mostly Amazons, Cockatoos, and Macaws first and fell in love with them all. It was at my first bird club meeting that I got to meet my first smaller bird, which might have been smaller in size, but just as big in personality.

I had lived with a beloved Budgie as a child and a wonderful one that I had to leave with my parents when I went away to college. My childhood Budgie was my best buddy and was a wonderful talker and loved to help me with my homework by trying to eat my numbers and words as I wrote them down. I also had two great Cockatiels, one male of which was an incredible talker and whistler. He even accompanied a musician friend of mine in a bassoon/Cockatiel duet of the William Tell Overture. I'd love to have one of each now as they were such incredible friends for me.

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