13 of the quietest pet birds that are easy on the ears

Birds often come with a lot of screeching and squawking, and if you prefer the quieter life, you might be wondering what species makes for the quietest pet birds.

So, are birds quiet? It depends on your definition. We're yet to find a pet bird out there that's completely silent – in fact, a bird who stops singing unexpectedly is usually a cause for concern – but there are certainly some pet birds who are quieter than others.

For example, some pet birds simply don't mimic human speech or sounds from their environment with as much gusto, while others only sing at certain times of day. Some chatter constantly, but that chatter in itself is of a modest noise level. All of these instances might push a species into a quieter category.

So, which types of pet birds are the quietest pet birds? We've got a mix for you below, as well as some pet bird tips – and hopefully you’ll find your ideal feathered friend on our list...

13 quietest pet birds

1. African Grey Parrot

As adept mimickers with playful personalities, African Greys make for super companion birds. They have an inquisitive yet sensitive nature, love to play, and thrive on interaction with their pet parents; keeping an African Grey actually has much in common with keeping a dog!

It's true that African Greys have quite a lot to say – mostly noises and phrases they pick up from their surroundings – but their vocalizations are relatively easy on the ears. They generally 'speak' at a maximum of 75 decibels, which is comparable to a toilet flush.

2. Budgerigar

Budgies are a popular feathered pet and have the potential to be hand-tamed with enough care and patience. Alternatively, budgies do well in pairs and, when kept in this way, get plenty of social enrichment from their aviary mate.

Budgies will whistle and chatter in pairs and are more likely to repeat sounds from their handlers and environment when kept alone. Males are the best at mimicry, and their vocalizations, though frequent, are around just 65 decibels, comparable to human speech.

3. Eclectus parrot

These green and red colored birds are active and inquisitive. They thrive in large aviaries and benefit from daily time spent outside their living quarters to exercise and explore, as well as the best toys for parrots to play with.

Eclectus parrots are actually fond of peaceful environments themselves and don't generally tolerate hustle, bustle, and excessive noise. They do chatter quietly and can pick up and repeat a repertoire of sounds from speech to household sounds. They can occasionally raise their voices when excited, and this sometimes exceeds 85 decibels – as loud as a chainsaw!

4. Cockatiel

Another popular pet, the cockatiel, is small in stature but big on personality. They don't have the loudest voices in the bird world, but are by no means silent. They chirp and whistle rather than screech and don't tend to mimic words, but if they do, it's more likely to be a male.

Cockatiels need plenty of enrichment and love to rip up paper and boxes. The crest of feathers on their head displays their emotions: an inquisitive or startled bird's crest will stand on end, while feathers flat back to the head suggest defensiveness.

5. Zebra finch

These little birds are beautiful to look at and are best suited to owners who don't want a hands-on feathered pet such as a parrot. They rarely, if ever, leave their aviary, so they will need enough space to exercise sufficiently with their cage mates, and need the best bird food supplemented with additional foods such as fresh greens and eggshells.

You will love watching your zebra finches play and chatter with one another. While males have a sweet song, especially when engaging in courtship rituals, females do not sing at all.

6. Parrotlet

Parrotlets emit frequent, squeaky chirps that are generally inoffensive to the ear and are unlikely to disturb your neighbors. They are capable of learning some words.

They are active birds that benefit from daily time outside the cage and plenty of toys to play with. They can be kept in pairs, but often become bonded to the exclusion of their owner. If you have the time to offer enough enrichment to a single parrotlet, they will become quite devoted to you.

7. Ring-necked dove

Compared to a chattery parrot, doves definitely deserve to be on the list of quietest pet birds. Doves are a great option for someone interested in keeping birds without the time or inclination to provide the level of interaction a parrot would need.

Doves can be kept outside, don't require or enjoy handling (although can be encouraged to hand feed), and make a constant yet pleasant cooing noise that won't keep your neighbors awake at all hours.

8. Gouldian Finch

These striking rainbow-colored finches are another hands-off bird, but this doesn't mean they are low maintenance. Gouldian finches, like other finches, thrive when their complex nutritional needs are met, and they do best when kept with their own kind – even housing multiple finch species together can be risky.

Gouldian finches can be tamed if you're willing to put in the effort, their soft, chattery singing will delight you as much as their vibrant plumage.

9. Scarlet chested parakeet

These brightly-colored birds are naturally timid but docile and can become true feathered friends with gentle coaxing. They love to bathe and should have access to a shallow dish of clean water at all times.

Scarlet-chested parrots are not prone to the loud, screeching contact calls of noisier parrots and will usually chatter away quietly in a melodic manner. They can sometimes utter high-pitched calls when alarmed, though.

10. Society finch

A popular finch type, the society finch provides the household with low-volume, constant chirrups as a soundtrack to daily life. As with other finch species, this little bird thrives among its own kind and isn't fond of being handled.

A large cage and enrichment are essential for this finch, who should have freedom to fly, play, and have a quiet corner to themselves within the walls of their aviary.

11. Diamond dove

Another bird perfect for the avian enthusiast who perhaps isn't so keen on parrots, the diamond dove is so named for the white spots on its wings.

Doves don't like being handled, perhaps with the exception of those who have been hand-reared. However, they are extremely sociable with one another and prefer to be kept in groups. They spend a lot of time on the ground, so a large horizontal rather than vertical aviary suits them, but giving them the opportunity to fly several times a week is also recommended.

12. Vasa parrot

Vasa parrots emit low, squeaky mumbles – they almost sound as if they are talking to themselves, helping make them one of the quietest pet birds, who definitely won't upset your neighbors.

They enjoy dirt bathing, which is unusual for parrots, are very active, and love their food, so they benefit from foraging toys and games. Female Vasa parrots tend to be larger and a little aggressive towards males of the species, but both sexes can become wonderfully friendly companions.

13. Bourke's parrot

This sweet pink bird is a beautiful sight with a chilled-out personality to boot. The Bourke's parrot is a pretty mellow soul who vocalizes mostly at dawn and dusk – it likes to take flight at these times, too. As such, they need a large flight cage.

One of the friendliest pet birds out there, the Bourke's parrot is known for its tendency to remain ultra-tame with regular handling, even if it has a cage mate.

Read next: 32 types of garden birds

Edited by Georgia Guerin and Alexis De Leaver.