How Much Does It Cost to Buy & Care for a Pet Bird?

• Other first-year costs include the cage ($70) and the purchase price, which ranges from $12 to $65 for a parakeet. After the first year, annual costs include food ($75), toys and treats ($25), and routine vet checkups ($85). Lifespan varies depending on the species, but parakeets tend to live between 15 and 18 years if given proper veterinary care.

Larger birds such as macaws and parrots are much more interesting pets than parakeets, but they are also more expensive to buy, house, feed, and care for. While it's possible to buy a birdcage for a macaw for less than $200, chances are it will need replacement relatively soon; it's probably smarter to budget at least $300 just for that purchase.

Small Birds: Budgies, Canaries, and Finches

• Budgies (Parakeets): $10 to $35. Since they're small, budgies are relatively inexpensive to care for and feed. But a diet
•  consisting only of seeds is not enough; veterinarians recommend a diet that includes pellets, fresh fruits, and vegetables including leafy greens
• Canaries: $25 to $150. In addition to what you'll pay for the canary, make sure you have the right size cage for these active birds. They need room to fly around and plenty of toys since they can get bored easily.
• Finches: $10 to $100. Most finches prefer the company of other finches to that of a human companion. Ideally, they're kept in small "flocks" when in captivity. So if you're planning to get a
•  pet finch, you may want to get more than one to keep your bird emotionally healthy.
• Parrotlets: $100 to $300. The average parrotlet can live up to 20 years or longer, provided it's well cared for. Be prepared to
•  make that kind of commitment to a pet before getting a parrotlet or any other variety of parrot.

Medium Birds: Conures, Parakeets, and Doves