This is something to consider for real- parrots are like the "baggage" (I use that term colloquially) of having a kid with all sorts of unique needs. It's easier for a future love interest to understand special circumstances and time commitments when the "child" is human (but even then, many people are afraid to date those with children if they are just getting started in a relationship or don't already have children of their own--not a total blanket statement, but as a rule, kids often freak people out-not everyone, but many)...I can confidently say that my bird led to the end of a multi-year relationship with my ex (and honestly, good riddance, BUT, it's a lot to put on someone who may wish to travel and use teflon/candles etc and may or not want to be a bird dad/mom--he didn't want to be a human dad anytime soon-so the bird came as a shock to his system, even though I was VERY reasonable and talked to him about it ahead of time).

When dating, you tell your suitor you have a parrot and they think "oh, that's cool, does it talk??"--what you should say is, "flying toddler that lives for 15-100 years with extreme allergies to the world +chainsaw and mega-phone, sometimes talks" <---at least, for most parrots...

Most people do not understand the true level of commitment it takes. I tell people about my parrot and all of her needs very soon after meeting them, because it's like a mom with kids (she comes before a new relationship to me, but I am not going to lie...she has definitely complicated things for me in the dating world). No more sleeping in...no more spontaneity and a lot less travel...it's just annoying to have to grill a new love interest on their household cooking/cleaning routine when you are getting to know them lol! but it is important... Also, based on the bird I have, I will never get to travel like I did before.. Thankfully, I did a LOT of travelling when I was in my teens and 20s, but I still have a hard time explaining that I can't just go on weekend getaways etc...Having a bird is way more complicated than a dog or a cat, because even if you take them with you, you have to think about fumes, temperatures and portable housing (in addition to the stress of the trip).

If someone isn't into birds...they're not gonna be a good match for me anyway!