Comments for Keeping Different Birds Together

Gail, 6 April 2024

I have budgies and a canary. My canary desperately wants to cohabitate with the budgies; but, unfortunately i've found my canary with an injuried bleeding leg causing him pain on several occasions and have even seen one of the budgies chase him. This does not seem to deter the canary as whenever he can access the budgies he tries despite having been injurred by them. I let them fly free; but, now keep them in seperate rooms.

Phillip, 16 October 2022

I have a fife canary who got along very well with my old fifes that died. She is in a good sized cage for her size, and I was wondering if I could keep a budgie with her or not? Every article I've seen pretty much says to do it at your own risk, but I would like a definitive answer from someone more experienced than wikihow. The cage is 3 feet across, 2 1/2 back, and 3 feet tall. I would be able to take the budgie out every day and would have seperate waters and foods for them both. TL;DR can I keep a budgie with a passive but friendly canary?

Nathan, 2 March 2022

I am just wondering what birds can live together as I have button quail. Zebra finches, lovebirds, budgies, cockatiels. What out of them can be in a large avairy please

Cherry, 7 February 2022

Sorry - just to clarify: the Bengalese is the English (UK) name for the finch that is referred to as the Society in some other parts of the English speaking world! The biological name of the bird I am referring to is Lonchura striata domestica, though it is not always regarded as a full subspecies and is sometimes listed simply as Lonchura striata.

Cherry, 7 February 2022

For Wendy, in case it is still useful, and with apologies if I'm repeating things you already know: The short answer is that the Bengalese finch is indeed extremely social and company is better if at all possible. In the type of situation you describe, it would probably be worth trying to pair the bird with another, possibly an older, weaker bird, of either sex. If that doesn't work, then keeping her within sight and sound of others while out of beak reach, may be the best solution - plus talking to her as much as you are able. It might also be worth trying to pair her with a bird of a different species of similar temperament, but that's obviously more complicated in practical terms. The long answer is that a lot of flocking animals are gregarious rather than social, and will pick on a sick or otherwise "abnormal" individual: it's supposed to be because it's liable to make the flock a target for predators. This may be less likely to apply if you have only two together out of sight and sound of others, but it is hard to know. This is why finding another bird which is not in the absolute prime of health may have a better chance of working. I have never actually tried keeping two females in one cage, but I would do it without hesitation, and without expecting the birds to have any issues - the only thing to be aware of is that it is likely to be noiser than a male and a female or two males. Females have a tendency to squawk for male attention (as far as I can make out), and it is both louder and a less "aesthetic" sound than the males singing. As far as setup goes, the standard advice is that visual barriers and more than one food and water source generally help reduce aggression; I have the impression that the more enrichment they have - whether it is interesting food or swinging perches or live plants - the better they tolerate each other, but I haven't done any sort of controlled experiment on the subject. (They seem to like an approximately equal mixture of open space and plant clutter, though again, that is only an impression). I have found, with mine, that they will try to breed relentlessly if you keep males and females together, and even if you want to breed them, it's necessary to impose some restrictions. If you're happy taking eggs away, that does work, and I've found I can usually stop them laying by repeatedly disturbing the nest they are trying to build - though they do just start again. They have a dreadful habit of nesting in food bowls: tube feeders or wild bird feeders are normally ok, but I don't know if that would work for your particular bird. I currently have a pair nesting (with permission) in a grass dome in one of the flowerpots! Anyway, hope that is of some help and hope your bird continues to enjoy life :-)

Wendy, 5 May 2021

Hi so I have a society finch, she’s all white. Her siblings pecked her pretty bad and kinda kicked her out of the flock… she does have a messed up foot she was born with but she’s thriving with it, she is alone in a 30 inch flying cage and loves it. my question is… should I get another society finch since I keep reading they prefer company, I do not want to breed them so I want to know do I put a male in there or can I have 2 females together?

Helen, 7 April 2021

Is it OK and healthy to keep zebra finch in a double flight cage indoors? I have a homedics air filter in the room to filter cooking smells and hopefully dust too.

Letitia, 5 March 2021

Can an older male green singing finch live with a young female canary?

Lawrence, 17 September 2020

Can I keep a Gouldian Finch in the same cage as a love bird or Parkeet

Paul, 13 September 2020

Can budgies and gouldians get along? The budgies are past vreeding age