This care sheet concerns the general care of songbirds and other cage birds. This is a category that includes commonly kept passerine birds like canaries and finches. For the purposes of this care sheet doves, mockingbirds, and mynah birds also fall into the category of "songbird," however, because of their pleasing voices or prolific mime abilities. Many of these birds are commonly kept in captivity and some, particularly canaries, have been captive bred for centuries, resulting in many variations in songs, appearance, or behavior. When selecting a bird, you may wish to consider the differences that can exist between types of birds and breeds evident within these types. Also, consider the differences between wild caught and captive bred birds. Often, captive bred birds can make tamer, healthier pets, and buying captive bred birds can help preserve wild populations of such birds.

Although the care of many of these birds is similar, details vary from type to type or species to species. In order to discover these special care needs, you should consult your bird's specific animal care information on the CentralPets.com website.

You should research the type of bird that you plan to acquire before actually taking it home. For example, if you live in a small apartment, you may not want a noisy or loud bird. If you feel you need more help in deciding whether or not you want a specific species, talking to a breeder, veterinarian, or a person who owns that species may help you in your decision.

	Part Two - Housing
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Please Note: This care sheet is copyright © The Central Pets Educational Foundation (CentralPets.com). It may be freely distributed provided that this notice and Copyright remains included and unchanged. We encourage veterinarians, clubs, pet stores, breeders, humane societies, and others to use this to educate people and promote better pet care. Additions, suggestions, corrections, and questions regarding this care sheet are welcome and should be directed to content@CentralPets.com