Quick answer
Birds in the UK typically cost £20–£2,000. PetTrader lists birds from licensed breeders, private sellers and rescues, across 5 breed guides, with prices, locations and health details on every advert. Listings follow Lucy's Law and the Animal Welfare (Licensing of Activities Involving Animals) Regulations 2018.
Birds typically sell for £20–£2,000 in the UK. Price depends on breed, species or variety, health testing and registration paperwork, the seller's location and the time of year. Anything priced well below the range below is worth questioning — it is a common sign of an unlicensed seller or a scam advert.
| Specie | Typical UK price |
|---|---|
| African Grey Parrot chicks | £800–£2,000 |
| Budgie chicks | £15–£60 |
| Cockatiel chicks | £60–£200 |
| Canary chicks | £25–£90 |
| Conure chicks | £250–£800 |
Hand-reared birds are usually tamer and cost more, but parent-reared birds are often better adjusted with other birds and less prone to behavioural problems. Ask which the bird is, how much handling it has had, and spend time with it before deciding.
A closed leg ring fitted as a chick is good evidence of captive breeding. African Greys, many Amazons and other CITES Annex A species must be sold with a valid Article 10 certificate, and the ring or microchip number on that certificate must match the bird in front of you.
Parrots are loud by nature, scatter food and feather dust, and larger species live 40–60 years. Be honest about neighbours, allergies and who would take the bird on long term before buying anything bigger than a cockatiel.
Prices range from about £20 for a budgie or canary, £40–£150 for cockatiels and lovebirds, £300–£800 for conures and Senegals, and £800–£2,000 or more for African Greys, Amazons and macaws. Hand-reared birds cost more than parent-reared, and the cage or aviary is a major additional cost.
Filter the bird adverts on this page by species and distance from your postcode. Sellers include hobby breeders, aviary keepers and rescues, and each advert shows the species, age, whether the bird is hand-reared or parent-reared, and whether it is closed-ringed.
Ask for the closed ring number or microchip details and a receipt showing the breeder's name. Species listed on CITES Annex A — including African Greys and many Amazons — must have an Article 10 certificate to be sold legally, so never buy one without it.
Budgies, cockatiels and canaries are the usual starting points: they are hardy, affordable and manageable in a family home. Larger parrots are loud, extremely long-lived and need several hours of interaction a day, so they suit experienced keepers.
Budgies and canaries typically live 7–12 years, cockatiels 15–20, conures 20–30, and African Greys and macaws 40–60 years or more. Larger parrots often outlive their owners, so plan for who takes them on.
Budgies, canaries, finches and lovebirds are flock birds and do far better with company. Larger parrots can be kept singly if they get several hours of daily interaction, but a bird left alone all day will often scream or pluck its feathers.
Big enough for the bird to fully stretch and flap both wings without touching the sides, and wider than it is tall so it can fly across rather than only climb. Daily time out of the cage in a safe room, or a full aviary, is better than any cage on its own.
View the animal in person at the seller's own home before any money changes hands, keep all messages inside PetTrader so there is a record, and never pay by bank transfer, gift card or crypto to someone you have not met. Every PetTrader seller completes a photo-ID and live selfie check, and verified accounts carry a badge, and you can report an advert from the listing page.
Selling rather than buying? Identity-verified private sellers get their first advert free, and the first 200 businesses and breeders get 12 months free. Read where to advertise birds for sale in the UK for the options, costs and legal rules, or how to rehome a pet if you are finding a new home for one you already own.
