Are Lovebirds Loud? [Guide For Potential New Owners]

With their brightly colored bodies and faces, curious personalities, and manageable size, there is a lot to love about Lovebirds. They are a starter parrot for many growing bird lovers and truly enjoy interaction with their owners. Before you jump into caring for one of these feathered friends, there is one thing you certainly want to consider. Are Lovebirds noisy? Let’s discuss it. 

So, are Lovebirds loud? Lovebirds definitely make noise. The thing to note about Lovebird sound is that while the volume isn’t always extreme, the pitch on their particular calls can be quite high. This high pitch means their sounds can be heard from a good distance away and may be hard on sensitive ears.

Birds survive by vocal communication with their offspring and flockmates, and therefore any pet bird is going to be a bit of a noisemaker.

It’s just the way it is and something that all potential owners need to consider.

Not all birds are the same; some are naturally much quieter than others.

But where do Lovebirds fall on that scale?

Let’s continue to explore…

Do Lovebirds Make A Lot Of Noise?

Lovebirds should be considered a noisy pet. Lovebirds use noise to express curiosity, fear, and playfulness. They also make noise when they see other birds or their owners as a way of giving a greeting. While there are things you can do to lower the amount of noise your Lovebird will make, they are not like a dog that may be trained not to bark. 

Just because a Lovebird is noisy doesn’t mean that all the sound is a bad thing. 

Many Lovebird owners adore their pet Lovebirds for their unique sounds. Even if they cannot “talk“.

Lovebirds certainly express affection with their noise, and it is a built-in part of their fun personality. 

Not all Lovebird noise is the harsh screeching many parrots have a reputation for. 

They can sing, whistle, chatter, and make a wide variety of low volume sounds that create a bit of their own language between themselves and their owners.

The one noise that potential Lovebird owners do need to be aware of when considering a pet Lovebird is their higher-pitched parrot call that is often described as a screech. 

This sound is the one that neighbors on the other side of thin walls or people looking for a quiet calm space may not appreciate as much. 

This sound’s impact isn’t as much about volume as it is pitch. 

The sound is very high and can travel far and easily be heard on the other side of thin walls.

 Just like different people have different personalities – some loving to talk to anyone nearby, others being more selective with their conversation – so do birds. 

This means that one Lovebird may screech and chatter frequently, while another only makes excessive noise when stimulated or with noticeable purpose. 

There are things a person can do to encourage less screeching if their Lovebird is loud, but anyone looking to own one of these birds must be ready to accept that this sound is a part of Lovebird life as much as all their cute little sounds.

Why Are Lovebirds So Noisy?

Lovebirds, like all birds, use noise for a variety of reasons, and vocal communication is key to their survival. There are several reasons that Lovebirds may make more noise than usual such as being scared, feeling overstimulated, or being bored.

Most bird species tend to make noise in a pattern that fits their daily schedule. 

Lovebirds will often make noise in the mornings as they awaken and at night before falling into a period of quiet rest. 

Your Lovebird’s own awake and sleep patterns will, over time, tend to go right along with when their cage first gets light in the morning and starts to become dim in the evening. 

No matter what pet bird species you bring home, you can expect these two times of day to have some noise.

As their name suggests, Lovebirds live in pairs or colonies that form close-knit relationships. 

Being vocal is a key part of maintaining these relationships. 

If a Lovebird suddenly sees a companion after a time apart or begins to feel lonely, you can expect that it will use noise to express its feelings about the situation. 

And then there is fear, overstimulation, and boredom.

Out of Fear

Lovebirds, like many other parrots, are not high on the food chain. 

As a result, they are always keeping an eye out for things that might be trying to harm or eat them. 

When a bird feels scared in the wild, it is normal for it to call loudly as a warning to others nearby and potentially scare off a would-be predator. 

A scared Lovebird is often a noisy Lovebird. 

This may be a time that you hear more of the high-pitched screeching than the friendly singing you enjoy.  

A Lovebird that is being noisy due to fear may pace back and forth in its cage, bob its head aggressively, fluff its feathers, and beat its wings.

Overstimulated

A Lovebird that is overstimulated by a room filled with noise is often a more noisy Lovebird. 

Because Lovebirds use their calls to communicate, they want to be loud enough to be heard, even in busy spaces. 

If your Lovebird can hear a TV, music, loud family members, and a barking dog all at once, it may feel the need to be even louder than normal to make sure its own calls can be heard. 

Boredom

The other common cause of a noisy Lovebird is boredom. 

Lovebirds are very inquisitive birds. 

They enjoy the company of humans and will explore every inch of their cage on a daily basis. 

When a Lovebird becomes lonely, it may begin to call out more in an attempt to locate a friend or bring its owner into the room. 

A bird that is bored may find entertainment in listening to its own noise and begin to sing or squawk loudly as a way to entertain itself. 

Are Lovebirds Loud At Night?

Lovebirds are quieter and night than during the day. Just like people, Lovebirds enjoy their rest, and so after a day of singing and playing, they tend to have an evening noise period before settling down for quiet hours. 

While nighttime is a quieter time for Lovebirds, they may occasionally make a few overnight noises. 

If a Lovebird is startled awake by something bumping into its cage or an unfamiliar noise, it may alert with a short squawk or chirp. 

This is a protective measure that in the wild would tell any other Lovebirds nearby to be on the lookout for danger. 

Keeping your Lovebird’s nighttime environment as consistent and quiet as possible will help your Lovebird relax and rest quietly.

Another reason that Lovebirds may make occasional nighttime sounds is if they find their cage area too dark. 

A Lovebird with a cagemate will like to know where their companion is at all times. 

If a Lovebird wakes and cannot see their cagemate nearby, they may squeak or chirp to find them. 

By the time you get up to seek out a problem, you will likely find two birds snuggled happily together and seeming a bit confused by your concern. 

If your Lovebird is continually making nighttime noise, you may want to consider a dim nightlight plugged in nearby that gives a glow just bright enough for the Lovebird to feel it has a safe view of its environment when it wakes during the night.

How Do I Keep My Lovebird Quiet?

If your Lovebird is unusually noisy, there are things you can do to encourage them to keep quiet. Some of the best things to do to quiet your Lovebird are to quiet the environment around the Lovebird, limit the amount of light your Lovebird receives, provide your Lovebird with new and interesting toys, and give your Lovebird attention before it feels the need to cry out for it vocally.

Attention

The number one thing you can do to help keep your Lovebird quiet is to give it plenty of attention. 

These birds crave social interaction with their owners and will not thrive in an environment that doesn’t support that need. 

A lonely Lovebird is a loud and irritable Lovebird. 

It can be helpful to look at your schedule for the day or week with your Lovebird in mind. 

Set down specific regular times that you will dedicate to interacting with your bird, and then stick to the plan. 

Your Lovebird will certainly thank you. 

If your Lovebird is suddenly making much more noise than usual, especially in the form of screeching, evaluate how much time you are spending with your bird and see if maybe you haven’t been interacting as much as normal. 

A Lovebird doesn’t need constant attention, but it does need regular and reliable interaction to feel happy.

Toys

For times that you are away and busy, make sure your Lovebird has plenty of toys in its cage. 

A Lovebird that is making noise from boredom can easily be brought back to quietness by mixing up the available cage toys or spending more time out of its cage in contact with you. 

Keeping a rotation of safe toys that you can change in and out of the cage will keep your bird entertained and less likely to squawk just for the fun of it.

Optimize The Environment 

I mentioned that an overly loud room could cause a Lovebird to become very noisy. 

To prevent this, make sure your Lovebird has a room that your family frequents, but that isn’t the central hub of your family get-togethers, movie nights, and other loud events. 

If your Lovebird is in a room with a frequent loud noise, you may want to designate certain times of the day where you turn down the volume and spend quiet one on one time with your bird. 

If your Lovebird is extremely loud, it is also helpful for you to keep your own voice at a whisper and remain calm to encourage your pet to match your volume level.

Lighting 

The amount of light a Lovebird receives can have a direct effect on its noise level. 

Placing your Lovebird’s cage in an area where it is easy to control light exposure will help you to keep your bird both happy and quiet. 

Long periods of light or darkness may make your Lovebird more prone to calling out, especially if your bird is having trouble sleeping due to too much light exposure.

Another way to control the light that your bird receives is with a cage cover, which is usually a solid lightweight sheet. 

Some pet stores also sell specially designed and fitted cage covers. 

I have always found a sheet to work just as well at providing my bird with a quiet, dark space that encourages sleeping and silence at night. 

Make sure not to use a fabric that is too heavy which may trap in extra heat or limit the ventilation of your Lovebird’s cage. 

The cover should only be used when you are home so that if your bird decides to try to play with it or tear at it, you can make sure your bird stays safe.

Don’t Train Noisiness 

A piece of advice, if every time your bird makes a loud or unwanted noise, you drop what you are doing and walk to the cage to speak to it, you may accidentally be training your bird to continue being noisy. 

It is okay to respond to your bird when it makes noises at appropriate times, but be wary of jumping up right away if your bird makes a noise at an unacceptable time. 

Instead, wait a moment and then take measures to quiet your bird by lowering the room volume, adjusting lighting, or covering the cage.

Some Final Thoughts On Lovebird Noise

As you can see, taking on a Lovebird as a pet means also accepting their wide range of noises. 

While this can be a point of struggle for people living in close quarters with others or who have sensitive ears, a Lovebird’s noise can also be one of the joys of ownership. 

Your Lovebird won’t just screech from anger or annoyance. 

It is likely to sing and chirp with joy at the start of a new day or feeding time, make an almost purring sound of happiness when interacting with its owner, and its noise can add a welcome rhythm to your typical day. 

Knowing ahead of time that you are taking on a pet with frequent noise can help you make plans for how and when you would encourage silence and let you have conversations about the noise with others living in your home before bringing in your new family member. 

And thankfully, these birds are not typically loud at night… phew!

Nevertheless, whether you purchase a Lovebird or another pet for your family, starting with research is sure to set you up for years of love and success.