Companion birds including canaries, finches, and softbills have behavioral and social needs that differ significantly from parrots; understanding species-specific requirements is essential for welfare.
Companion birds that are not parrots are often housed in conditions even more inadequate than those provided to parrots. Small song bird cages sold commercially may be so small that birds cannot fly even a single wingbeat. Solitary housing of social finch species causes psychological distress. Canaries, despite their association with human companionship, are not domesticated in the same sense as dogs or cats — they have strong biological drives for flight, song, and conspecific contact that housing must support. A finch or canary in a large flight cage with companions, varied perches, bathing access, and species-appropriate diet is a genuinely different welfare situation from the typical small commercial cage. The gap between minimal standards and good practice is enormous.