8 Quietest Birds To Keep As Apartment Pets

Birds are known for their ability to sing and speak. For some of us, the idea of a talkative, excitable bird is something we are drawn to. But what about those of us living in apartments where the noise levels need to be kept to a minimum?

The good news is that while it’s true that all birds will make some noise, there are certain breeds of bird that tend to make less noise than others and can be placed in apartments. 

So, what are some of the quietest birds? We’ll be taking a look at 8 different birds that prove themselves to be well-suited for apartment-life. 

Quietest Pet Birds

Budgie

Budgie

Budgies are talkative, but not loud enough to really cause a disturbance. They are nomads, which means that they need to be able to fly long distances in order to find food or water.

What does this mean? It means that you’ll need to buy the largest suitable cage that you can afford.

So, while budgies are quiet enough to have in the apartment, they will take up quite a lot of space.

Budgies are also quite sociable; in fact, they need as much attention as larger birds. So, if you don’t have enough time in the day to spend time with them, you may want to consider getting your budgie some fellow companions. 

Canary

Canary

A male canary can be loud, but a female’s voice is much softer than males.

A female canary will only chirp, whereas you may hear some songs coming from a male. 

Something that attracts others to these birds, is that they require little care.

While some have found canaries to be aggressive, some have also found that they can be quite friendly and a pleasure to have around.

When deciding whether to get a canary or not, keep in mind that canaries can be quite messy. 

Finch

Finch

Finches are vocal little birds, but their voices do not carry that easily making them an ideal pet to keep in your apartment.

There are many different breeds, but they all desire similar care. 

Finches tend to flourish in aviary-style enclosures. These enclosures should be able to provide them with lots of space, different kinds of foliage, water features and even other birds.

With that in mind, a finch may not be the best bird to get if you are living in a small apartment, so make sure that you have enough space. 

Cockatiel

Cockatiel

While cockatiels are vocal, they are rarely loud enough to bother neighbours.

Cockatiels are the type of birds that mimic the sounds they hear around the house.

So if you happen to hear your alarm clock (the one you do not remember setting), it’s probably your cockatiel. 

Cockatiels are known to be affectionate birds, happy to be held by you but not fond of cuddling.

They are intelligent but can develop bad habits. You’ll want to handle this bad behaviour by simply disregarding it. Do not forget to reward their good behaviour though!

Parrotlet

Parrotlet

Surprisingly, parrotlets are the least talkative in the parrot family. In fact, this is the quietest parrot.

While these birds learn to mimic, they’re not noisy which makes them one of the best birds to keep if you’re looking for a quiet bird.

Something to keep in mind is that parrotlets are both curious and small, which can be a great danger for a parrotlet.

Why? These characteristic traits cause the bird to be accident prone and may lead to the bird being stepped on. 

These birds are affectionate so if you’re looking for a parrotlet companion, they’re a good choice.

However, if you ever decided to get a second parrotlet, you have the risk of the two parrotlets bonding and excluding you from the relationship.

Something that makes this bird more apartment-friendly, is that it does not require the same amount of space that larger species do. 

Pionus Parrot

Pionus Parrot

You’ll be happy to know that a Pionus parrot is not the kind of parrot to make lots of noise. In fact, it’s considered to be quieter than most other parrots.

But there is a catch. The more noise you make, the noisier your Pionus parrot will be. 

Additionally, this is a bird that you might consider keeping on its own because the Pionus parrot can potentially feel neglected if it’s kept with other birds.

The Pionus parrot is known to be a family bird so if you are living with more than one person, this might be your kind of bird. 

Bourke's Parakeet

Bourke's Parakeet

The Bourke’s parakeet is far quieter than the budgie. In fact, it spends most of its time sleeping and its movement is most noticeable in the early hours of the morning.

Their diet includes vegetables and excludes fruit. Now you may be thinking, “I’m going to have a mess on my hands after feeding this bird”.

You’ll be happy to know that a Bourke’s parakeet is a really clean bird and will not only clean itself, but also its surroundings.

This makes the Bourke’s parakeet the ideal bird to get if you have a busy schedule and not enough hours in the day to focus on cleaning.

Senegal Parrot

Senegal Parrot

Senegal parrots are known to be much quieter than other species of parrot, but they do have the ability to learn a few words.

They are friendly, so this may be the bird for you if you have a big family or just want to be sure you won't be attacked by your bird. 

Keep in mind though, that if a Senegal parrot spends too much time with one person, they may lose interest in interacting with other family members.

Senegal parrots may be more apartment-friendly than other birds because they only require a medium-sized cage. They are one of the quietest birds and are also highly trainable! 

What is The Calmest Bird?

There isn’t just one calm bird, which is great information to know if you’re not wanting to limit your options when it comes to choosing a bird. Besides being quiet you may also want your pet bird to be chilled out. If you’d like to know which of the birds we’ve just discussed are the calmest, take a look at the list below:

  1. Pionus Parrot 
  2. Budgie 
  3. Finch
  4. Bourke’s Parakeet
  5. Cockatiel 

What can I do to keep my pet bird quiet?

Birds have an incredible sense of hearing and are affected by the noises they hear. If you’re living in an apartment, you’re probably living next to someone who shares your wall.

So, when you are looking for a place to put your bird cage, position it away from the wall that you share with your neighbours. 

A bird needs mental stimulation. Finding enough time in the day to play with your bird can be difficult, but if you do, it will help keep your bird’s noise levels down. If you can’t be with your bird often, give him some toys to keep him busy. 

Something else you can do is put a cage cover over your bird’s cage at night. Your bird will not be able to see anything outside of his cage and this will help him to rest.

You can also check out our article on how to make your bird quieter for more tips.

Is there a way to soundproof your bird’s cage?

Yes, there is! The first thing you’ll want to do is cover the back wall of the cage with an audio absorption sheet (this is also called a soundproof blanket). The blankets or sheets are made of natural materials that absorb and reflect noise.

You can also put the absorption sheet on either sides of the cage, but leave the front and top of the cage open so that the bird can still see outside. 

This next step will ensure that no sound (or at least very little of it) that the bird makes leaves your apartment. You need to put the soundproofing sheets across the door to the room the bird is in.

Some companies that specialize in soundproofing sell deluxe wall coverings that are easy to use and will work. Using soundproof curtains in the room you keep the bird in will also help.

Otherwise consider other ways to soundproof the room if the bird is still too loud.

“My bird screams every time I leave the room. What can I do?”

The first thing you need to know is that your bird is screaming as a result of separation anxiety. You’re going to want to handle this similarly to the way you would handle bad behaviour. 

Don’t give your bird attention when they start screaming. Instead, wait for him to be quiet for a few minutes.

If your bird just won’t stop screaming, then they probably won’t be able to keep quiet for a long amount of time, so just wait for at least 30 seconds of silence.

If your bird manages to stay quiet for the desired amount of time, you can reward him either with your attention or a yummy treat. Be sure to repeat this procedure!

Conclusion

The birds we’ve just spoken about are some of the best options to look at when you want to find a quiet bird to keep in your apartment. Some of these quiet birds don’t need a lot of space or even a lot of toys, but they do all need love and attention.

And this is really important if you want to form a bond with your pet bird. Remember that these birds will need some of your time and patience. If you are willing to give it to them, you’ll be able to have a peaceful relationship with them which will help keep things quiet around the apartment.