Expert: Julia Booth - 8/30/2008

Question
QUESTION: I rescued a female cardinal that cannot be released again. A male cardinal would make a great companion for her but getting one well ... Can you advise of another type of bird that would make a great companion for my cardinal?

Thank you.

ANSWER: I'm just going to assume you've gotten some sort of permission to keep this bird or are a licensed wildlife rehabilitator, because it's otherwise illegal to keep a Cardinal as a pet.

It's a female, so it won't be too aggressive. Male Cardinals can be extremely territorial.

Really any sort of finch of comparable size should be compatible. I'd make sure the cage you get is roomy enough, though. Ideally, an outside enclosure made from mesh, with branches inside it would be the best environment. Don't stick her in some tiny, canary cage. She won't be happy.

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Yes, I am a 17-year veteran of animal rescue and have all the proper permits to do what I do. And her cage is probably bigger than your car. I simply wanted some confirmation on whether or not the finch family birds might prove to be a good companion since they are already "caged" and need good homes anyway. Thank you for the advice.

Answer
I didn't mean to imply that you didn't have the proper permits. It's just that I get a number of such questions just like this from people and 99% of them DON'T have permits and they also genuinely have no idea that it's against the law to keep wild animals as pets. Most people do not have aviaries on their property to accomodate that kind of wildlife.

I think any of the society finches would be fine. Actually, if the cage is that large, you could probably get away with putting parakeets in there. I would just avoid Cockatiels, because the one's in my mother-in-law's aviary nipped and plucked the feathers of every bird she put in there.

Cardinals also like shiny objects. You could put a mirror in there for her too.