What is The Cheapest Talking Bird, Parrot How Much it Costs

Find out the cost of owning a talking parrot

More often than not, people get pet parrots for their talking ability.

I mean, it’s cool to have a bird that can, sort of, communicate, cuddle and play with you.

It’s nothing short of amazing, yes?.

However, parrots fall stuck in the middle of the exotic pets alley.

They come at a hefty price, and their maintenance needs are often more than your average furry or purring pet.

Now, if you a looking for a cheap and affordable bird pet that can talk, perhaps the best place to start is a budgie. These little avians, called parakeets in some regions, have a decent talking ability given their size and can cost you as little as 25 US dollars for a weaned chick.

Compared to other talking parrots like African greys, budgies also have lesser care and maintenance needs. They require a tinnier cage, consume lesser food, and need fewer toys.

Budgies are also not as loud and are less destructive.

It’s surprising to many that budgies can talk as well, if not better than some of the larger parrot species. Some budgies are known to develop vocabularies of multiple words and phrases.

The spruce pets

An average talking budgie is intelligent enough to learn different phrases, with on record saying more than 1700 words.

As it may, it’s not certain that your budgies will talk.

There is a great deal of psychology that goes into a parrot learning human speech and a fair amount of patience and resilience in training your bird.

How Much Does A Talking Bird Cost

There is no single price for a talking bird because the cost varies widely depending on the type, size, vocal abilities, training, colors, the breeder, and species’ rarity.

The price range is absurdly wide, with an average budgie costing as little as 15 dollars and an African grey, double yellow head (or blue-fronted) Amazon, macaw, or cockatoo costing as much as 3000 dollars for a single bird.

A reasonable price range for a small parrot bird like a budgie or cockatiel is anywhere from 15 to 150 dollars and between 150 and 600 dollars for medium-sized (Monk parakeet, conure, Ringneck parakeet, Parrotlets).

Below is a table of the most popular parrots species kept as pets and the price range you will most likely find in the trade.

You can also find a pretty awesome breakdown on Bird Cage Now.

How Much Does A Speaking Bird Cost

Now, as you will note from the table above, parrots and other talking birds (mynah) have a wide range in terms of price, more so between species.

You will also note that we have several subspecies within the stated groups, most of which vary in price depending on the rarity, colors, and other differences between individuals.

As such, in this section, we will see the different groups from the table above and the different prices for individual birds in varying species sets.

How Much Do Budgies Cost (in the US)

Budgies are relatively affordable, costing anywhere from 15 to 100 dollars hence a perfect choice for people considering a pet bird for kids and beginners or when you do not have the space and budget for a larger parrot, like a cockatoo.

However. lutino, albino, and other budgie color variants may cost slightly more than the somewhat drab or common parakeets.

See our budgies price table below.

How Much Does An African Grey Parrot Cost

African grey parrots fall stack in the middle of the exotic pet early. They are brilliant talkers as well, so AGs are nowhere near cheap.

However, there are only two variants of this parrot (Congo, Timneh), so the price range is not as extensive, only changing depending on the size, health, breeder, and training of the bird you want.

Congo African greys are more common in the pet market, so the Timnehs automatically become pricier because they are rare.

How Much Do Parakeets Cost (Parakeet Price)

More like budgies and less like African grey parrots, parakeets come in many different types, so their prices range widely varies. They can cost anywhere from 20 for the more common species to 1800 dollars for the rarest versions.

Even so, the average price range for a parakeet is between 100 and 600 dollars.

How Much Do Conure Parrots Cost (Conure Price)

Conure parrots are almost as popular as budgies and cockatiels, with a reasonable price range.

However. because of the many species available, the cost varied widely depending on availability, with the rarest species costing more.

You can expect a conure to cost between 200 and 3000 dollars, but the average is somewhere from 200 to 700 dollars.

How Much Does Do Lorikeets Cost (Lory Price)

Lorikeets are not as common in the parrot pet reserve for the rainbow-lorikeets, but they are a nice addition if you consider them.

Lorikeets prices are not too prohibitive for an exotic pet, but since they are not as widespread, the price may rise depending on the locality.

Plus, there are many varieties of lorikeets, though less explored by bird keepers than conures, budgies, cockatiels, and parakeets.

You can expect to pay between 200 and 1500 dollars for a lorikeet.

How Much Do Lovebirds Cost (Lovebird Price)

Lovebirds are not too rare in the bird-keeping hobby. Neither are they too expensive because of availability and relatively decent characteristics.

A lovebird should not cost you any more than a budgie or cockatiel, with the price varying depending on how rare the bird you want is.

You can expect most lovebirds to cost anywhere from 50 to 200 dollars, albeit a bird that is well trained and ready to socialize may cost as much as 1000 dollars.

How Much Do Pionus Parrots Cost (sell for)

As with most parrot species in the market, Pionus come in a couple of different varieties, with the price averaging 200 to 900 dollars, although it could go up to 2000 dollars depending on a bird’s rarity and training.

I guess it’s also important to note that although Pionus are often overlooked, they are an excellent choice for owners looking for mid-sized parrots for a reasonable cost.

In the hobby, you’ll likely find five to seven species of Pionus that range in price depending on location rarity.

See the pricing table below.

How Much Do Caique Parrots Cost (sell for)

Caiques are another parrot type overlooked by most bird keepers, perhaps for their somewhat demanding care, though they make ideal candidates for ready owners.

Caiques are energetic, intelligent, and sadly prone to biting and behavior problems, hence thrive best when purchased (or adopted) by experienced and patient owners.

Caiques are also pretty pricey, with the average cost (from a breeder) ranging between 1000 and 2000 dollars, but you can get them for less from a rescue.

How Much Do Parrotlets Cost (Parrotlet Price)

Parrotlets are compact-sized parrots with huge personalities best for most keepers, including beginners and young parents. They also don’t cost much, with a bird costing 50 to 300 dollars from a rescue (adoption) and 100 to 300 dollars from breeders.

However, there are several parrotlet types available in the hobby, and the cost may vary depending on a species’ rarity.

See the pricing table below, with more insight on Petkeen.com.

How Much Do Cockatiels Cost (Cockatiel Price in US)

Even if you are not a bird owner, if you’ve come across a parrot in a home, most likely it was a cockatiel or a budgie. The tiny, active birdies are common house birds in almost every place.

Cockatiels are the furthest thing from expensive exotic pets, with the price range fair for most owners looking for a first-time bird. A cockatiel will cost 50 and 200 dollars on average, rarely costing over 300 dollars even for a well-trained, rare tiel.

However, there are a couple of different tiels available in the hobby, with varied prices within the state range. The traditional yellow and white cheeks are less expensive, while the Lutino cockatiel will run on the higher end.

That said, the price of a cockatiel is pretty standard with no dramatic varies between types, so there is no need for a table. However, I’ll still add a list (below) of the types you expect to find in the tiel market and at the stated price range.

• Albino cockatiel
• Lutino cockatiel
• Cinnamon cockatiel
• Pied cockatiel
• White cockatiel
• Yellowcockatiel
• Grey cockatiel
• Pearl cockatiel
• Blue cockatiel
• Ashenfallow cockatiel

How Much Does A Cockatoo Cost (Price in the US)

Cockatoos are arguably one of the most popular parrots kept as pets in our homes.

Even so, cockatoos come at a hefty price because most species are endangered in the wild, thus a rare find in the hobby. The average cost is anywhere from 1000 dollars to 4000 dollars, but a rare type can cost upwards of 40000 dollars.

Essentially, a cockatoo will cost less if adopted from a rescue and more when purchased from a breeder.

Breeder’s birds are well selected (most likely the best cockatiel), bred, trained, and maintained to get top dollar in the market.

Below are some popular cockatoos and their prices as of 2022.

How Much Does A Mini Macaw Cost

Mini macaws are an option for owners who want a small to mid-sized macaw (or parrot), which, fortunately, also comes with a more reasonable price tag than the hyacinth and what have you.

Hahn’s mini macaws are arguably the most popular, though others like yellow collared, severe, and Illiger’s macaw are also available for an average cost of 800 to 1000 dollars.

However, this price may vary depending on the breeder and how rare a bird is.

How Much Does A Macaw Cost

Now, away from the smaller mini-macaws, we have several species of larger macaws, such as the scarlet and hycinth macaws, which are mostly pricier but also popular among owners looking for colorful exotic pet birds.

These birds can cost you anywhere from 1000 dollars for adoption and up to 18000 dollars from a breeder and sometimes more for rare macaw species.

How Much Does An Ecelctus Parrot Cost

Eclectus are an eye catching, intelligent parrot that though not kept as much in the hobby, is a priced alternative when looking for a large, talkative parrot.

They are also reasonably priced compared to equally sized parrots, such as macaws, AG’s, and cockatoos.

The evarage cost of an eclectus macaw is 600 to 2000 dollars.

How Much Does An Amazon Parrot Cost

Amazon parrot is a species of large parrots, which like Eclectus, are an ideal alternative for AG’s, cockatoos, and macaws, for a fraction of the price.

There are several types of the Amazon parrot, meaning you’ll also have a wide range of birds to choose from, all of which have the ability to talk and have the classic, adorable parrot personality.

An Amazon parrot will only set you back anywhere from 400 to 2000 dollars, though it may vary depending on the breeder.

Now, to wrap up this post, please note all these prices are estimates as of 2022 and may vary depending on location. I will try to update them regularly, but always consider the numbers with a pinch of salt.

All the best with your parrot🦜🦜🦜. See you in the next one.