Money saved, now please try to help me choose a Parrot:)

Kiwibird said:

Hello again.

Provided European pricing on parrots and cages is similar to US prices, I'd figure you'll need to budget about half for the bird and half for a appropriate sized cage, or about $250-300 for the bird and $300-350 for the cage/starter accessories/initial vet visit. That puts you well into the range of being able to afford many of the "medium" sized parrots, such as conures, larger parakeet species (Indian ringneck, quaker etc...) possibly even some of the poicephalus or pionus species. Now what you need to do is start looking into what the various species in the medium size range cost (approximately) in your country and narrow it down more by affordability and desirable traits. In your research of these species, look for typical personality traits, lifespan, noise/volume, potential for future hormonal issues once mature, differences in personalities in males VS females etc... Naturally, different traits appeal to different people, so it's very personal which parrot species will likely align best with your home and lifestyle.

If I'm not mistaken, your plan is to purchase a bird (and possibly the cage too?) at a bird fair correct? That being the case, I would have maybe 3-4 "good possibility" species in mind when you go and interact with the birds available at the fair. Keep an open mind and look for a bird who seems to like or show interest in you. It's much easier that way if the bird "chooses you" instead of the other way around. With a good idea of species in mind, should make it easier to find the individual bird who will be your new feathered friend

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MapleMatt said:

Excuse me for bothering yet please. You said that You would have few species in mind right. It would make my choice way easier if You can listed at least 4,5 of these, which You think might be a good pick, so that I would have at least bit of idea before going to expo. Planning to buy some books aswell. Thank You in advance

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Kiwibird said:

MapleMatt said:

Excuse me for bothering yet please. You said that You would have few species in mind right. It would make my choice way easier if You can listed at least 4,5 of these, which You think might be a good pick, so that I would have at least bit of idea before going to expo. Planning to buy some books aswell. Thank You in advance

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Questions are never a bother. That's the main point of this kind of forum- education

Unfortunately, while I have a generalized knowledge of medium species parrots, my in-depth knowledge base for species recommendations is more with large parrots. There are many members more qualified than I to make some suggestions regarding medium parrot species so I'd take my "advice" below regarding medium species with a grain of salt

Green cheek conures are generally well thought of as good "first birds" and are known for being on the quieter side for parrots. They are also quite common (in the US) and affordable, leaving you with more money for cage/toys etc... LOTS of GCC owners on here to chat with if they seem appealing to you.

Indian ringneck parakeets are fairly popular medium parrots. I personally sublet in a home with a blue IRN and took care of him on occasion for the owners. He was a shy bird and loud enough to give my large amazon a run for his money. Very snuggly with and strongly bonded to his owner. That, of course, is my limited experience with that one bird and may not be characteristic of all IRN's. One of our members, SilverSage, breeds IRNs and if they seem appealing to you, she would be my top pick to ask questions about them and get firsthand info from a reputable breeder who knows what they're talking about.

Quaker parakeets are another medium parrot species that are common first birds. Don't know much about them myself. Several other users have them though. They are illegal to own in several US states due to the potential to become invasive species. You'd be wise to check local laws where you live as the EU tends to have even tighter regulations than we do over here.

Poicephalus have a reputation for being a bit nippy but are also known for having big personalities and being more independent. The most common POI species (in the US) are Senegal parrots. Not as popular as conures or IRNs, but they're worth looking into if a more independent/less velcro personality appeals to you. Personally, I'm more fond of birds who don't need to be glued to you every second, but that's just me.

Pionus are closely related to amazons and if their personalities are anything like their larger cousins, they would probably be a top choice for me personally to research if I were looking for a medium size parrot. Not too common to find them though over here. They are also known for being a more independent species.

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Kiwibird said:

In short, I think you would need a *really* good reason you want a big amazon to make one even a remote consideration for your very first 'larger' parrot. Frankly, I think a conure would be more appropriate for serious consideration if new world species appeal to you and pionus are not in your budget. "Hot 3" larger species amazons (blue fronts, yellow napes and double yellow heads) are commonly "difficult" birds who's size means they have extra loud calls and extra painful bites that can cause serious injuries. I obviously love amazons and have a blue front myself. The are very rewarding birds, but also are a HUGE lifelong commitment of time and money and patience and willpower. Being in your budget is NOT a good enough reason, nor is their size or colorations/appearance. If you're a brand new just got your license driver, a Ferrari is still a terrible idea as a first ever car just because you can afford one. Too much power combined with not enough experience is dangerous. Does anything else besides their price or looks/size appeal to you? Have you done much research into their temperament and hormonal issues?


Amazona Aestiva is the blue front amazon family. There are 2 subspecies of blue front amazons and often hybrids between the 2 (which also happens naturally in the wild) showing traits of both recognized subspecies. The larger subspecies Amazona Aestiva Xanthopteryx (my bird's subspecies) is larger with less blue, mainly confined to just above the cere, more yellow on the head and wings and oversized feet. They tend to be more common in the US and are also quite notorious for a disagreeable attitude and aggression issues during puberty and when hormonal as adults (which I will attest to). Amazona Aestiva Aestiva is smaller with more blue covering the head and face, less yellow on the head and little to no yellow on the wings. They are known for being a bit more docile and to my understanding are the more common subspecies in Europe. That said, all amazons are prone to hormonal temperament issues after reaching sexual maturity at 4-6 years old. I know of no owner of a larger 'hot 3' amazon species who has not received at least a few skin-breaking bites due to hormones. Even very well behaved birds otherwise loose their minds when hormonal. You MUST be accepting of the fact with a larger amazon you WILL be bit, badly, on occasion. They are also prone to laziness, picky eating, obesity and the health issues related to obesity. They lean more towards the 'independent' side of things and are not known as 'cuddly' birds. The reason I mentioned pionus is their similarities with small species amazons, which are known for being docile and generally non-problematic birds. In the US pionus tend to cost less than small species amazons.

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