Top 5 Most Beautiful Pet Finches

previously published on Medium

Finches are lovely pets, inside and out.

They’re mild-mannered, stay small, eat a steady diet of seeds, and tend to be lower-maintenance as far as birds go. Give them plenty of space to hop around and socialize, and a handful of finches will reward you with a light, chirpy song.

Best of all, domestic finches are available in a rainbow of colors, from drab gray to a technicolor explosion. Not that you’d pick a pet based solely on looks, but it sure doesn’t hurt that these bouncy little birds are among the most striking pets on the market.

Here are five of the prettiest finches you can add to your aviary.

5. Zebra Finch

Look how cute these preppy little guys are!

Go to any pet store and it’s hard to miss the requisite flock of zebra finches popping around the cage, honking like they’ve swallowed tiny trumpets. They’re easy to find, inexpensive, and hardy. Even better, zebra finches stand out among ginches because they actually enjoy playing with humans, which makes them perfect for families and beginners.

I do, however, question their fashion choice of blending spots with stripes and wearing brown and black together.

4. Owl Finch

If you want a bird that makes even other bird owners go, “Wow, what kind of bird is that?” then you’re looking for an owl finch. Also known as the double-barred finch, clown finch, and Bicheno’s finch, these distinguished birds are best identified by their barn owl-like face and bold black band. Okay, so he’s not all that colorful, but he does make an impact. And the females look almost as bold!

Owl finches are less common birds can be pricy, but they do make decent pets and don’t mind having cage mates. They’re chatty, but not as boisterous as other finches. There’s a lot to love here.

3. Parrotfinch

There are many kinds of parrotfinches: blue-faced, red-headed, short-tailed, red-throated… and several other ‘adjective-body-part’ varieties. If you like the aesthetic of parrots but don’t want a pet who eats the woodwork, consider a showstopper like the parrotfinch.

Make sure they have plenty of space, though: parrotfinches belong in the wild or else in a humongous aviary. They don’t always do well as pets and are exorbitantly expensive, but they sure are head-turners. This bird is only for the experienced aviculturalist.

2. Strawberry Finch

Do you like strawberries? Would you like to see one in a cage? The male strawberry finch is named because, well, that’s exactly what he looks exactly like.

What’s cool about strawberry finches is that they actually change color! Males wear bright red, black, and white-spotted duing the mating season and drab plumage otherwise. Females are pretty cute, too, with their brown bodies, yellow bellies, and Maybelline-red beaks. Keep their cages large and full of greenery to prevent permanent color loss.

They have a lovely singing voice, too: not too loud, not too annoying. Just a sweet twittering song.

1. Gouldian Finch

yowza!

C’mon, you knew this was number one. Even the female is a riot of color. Green! Red! Purple! Yellow! Black! They look like a shaken-up jigsaw puzzle.

Gouldian finches are almost too pretty. You’ll want to pick it up and play with it, but they absolutely hate that. Gouldian finches are cage-only birds who are exceptionally fragile, quiet, and tricky to breed. They’re fussy but omg so gorgeous. Definitely not for beginners, but ideal for a large aviary with other finches.

Only seek out these handsome devils if you know for sure that they’re coming from a reputable breeder or are in a rehoming situation. Gouldian finches are near-threatened and facing endangerment in their native habitat, thanks to the booming pet industry.

Actually, that goes for all pet birds. Aviculture has only increased in popularity, and this has done no favors for the wild bird population, so do your homework and be a responsible pet owner.