A bird kept primarily as a pet that bonds socially with humans, distinct from a working bird (falconry, racing pigeons) or a livestock bird (poultry).
Companion birds in the UAE pet market are almost exclusively psittacines, parrots and parakeets, plus a smaller market of finches and canaries. They share a need for social interaction and mental enrichment that other pet categories don't have.
A companion bird is not a low-maintenance pet. The minimum daily commitment is 1-2 hours of out-of-cage interaction for small species (cockatiels, conures, budgies) and 3+ hours for larger species (macaws, cockatoos, African Greys).
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