Whoo, okay, so the kind of bird you want to get depends on how much person-to-bird interaction you want to have.  Parrots and anything in the parrot family (budgies, cockatiels, conures, and the big parrots and macaws) are super, super demanding for care and attention, and I wouldn’t recommend them for a 12-year-old.  As much as I want one, I know I’m not ready for that kind of commitment; a parrot/parakeet is an eternal child that lives a long time and never grows up.  But that isn’t to say that having a budgie wouldn’t be a bad thing; perhaps your family could give them the attention they’d need–just know that it is a lot.

Zebra finches like I have are probably a good place to start, but here, it’s the exact opposite–they prefer not to interact with humans, and once you’ve become familiar with them to the point that you are no longer a threat, you are then seen as an annoyance (case in point, I’ve moved my finches to my room for the fall/winter because it’s warmer than the guest room they’ve been staying in.  Finch!Illya has realized that I can sleep through Finch!Napoleon’s singing but not his.  Finch!Illya has, successfully, for two mornings in a row gotten me out of bed earlier than I wanted because he’s smart enough to figure out my morning routine and know that once I’m out of bed, I don’t go back until night).

Domestic doves and pigeons seem to be a happy medium between the two; from the videos I’ve seen, they can be used to human interaction while not being as demanding as parrots.  I admittedly don’t know too much about them, but it’s worth looking into.

I’m inserting the usual “adopt, don’t shop” mantra, but with birds, that’s very often difficult to do (I just got lucky since I was working in an overcrowded lab and my advisor was more than happy to let a couple finches go with me).  So shop only as a last resort, so as to discourage any dodgy practices going on (which, for parrots especially, sadly happens a lot).

And, of course, research everything before you make that choice, and know that, like cats and dogs, birds have unique temperaments and personalities–and that they are smart and can get easily bored.

Important side note that you’ll likely come across during research, but it’s worth repeating: if you get a bird, do not–I repeat, do not–use nonstick cookware, unless it is teflon-free or PTFE-free (and says that on the label); if nonstick/teflon cookware overheats, it produces dangerous fumes that are swiftly fatal to birds.  Also be wary of cleaners, bleach, incense, cigarettes, etc; birds’ respiratory systems are very fragile, and the smaller the bird, the more fragile they are.

That’s all I’ve got; if the rest of birblr can chime in with advice, please do so!