Finches 101

Name: Finch

Personality: Finches are generally entertaining, social (with other finches, but not so much with humans) and active.

Grooming: Finches are relatively easy to care for, grooming included, according to Pet University. They bathe themselves as long as you provide a water bowl for them to use (separate from their drinking water), and you should let them dry themselves, i.e. no blow dryers. If you give them a rough landing surface, you most likely won't have to trim the nails. Watch while your bird molts, though; this can be uncomfortable or even painful for them, but there are things you can do to help, says Pet University. As with all birds, you will need to be meticulous about cleaning a finch's cage.

Common Health Issues: Finches are hardy birds with a life span ranging from five to 15 years, varying by species, according to Finchworld. A good diet and appropriate cage (width is more important that height) with access to sunlight will help your bird stay healthy, says Aquatic Community. A healthy finch will have well-conditioned feathers, bright eyes, and legs free of scales or masses.

Training Tips: Finches are not as interactive as some pet birds. While it's possible to hand-train them, according to About.com, this isn't terribly common. You'll need to start slowly and work your way toward taming your finch, using soothing voices and plenty of consistency.

Best For: Finches are good choices for first time bird owners because they're relatively low maintenance and not terribly loud. And, because they're generally not handled very much, they might be a better option for families with young children.

What Finch Owners Say: Nick Johnson or Claremont, Calif. says, "I love finches. They are happy birds that build nests and hop around the cage in the morning with their little chirps. I don't need an alarm clock! They sound like cats when they talk to one another and sometimes it sounds like they are laughing. My two birds (Bozo and Winkie) haven't laid eggs yet, but I am hoping they do soon. For weeks, I put in shredded tissue and they built their nest so high they couldn't even get into the nestbox anymore."

Tags: birds, finch, finches, pet finch, PetFinch, small birds, SmallBirds