Please help me decide what parrot species is best for me! :)

Hi! I'm looking to add to my flock. I've had experience with budgies, cockatiels, parrotlets, green cheek conures, and lovebirds, and I'm looking to move on to a larger parrot.

I want a bird that is cuddly, not too big, quietness and ability to talk are a bonus.

I really love sun conures. They've been my favorite bird for so long, and I think I'm most likely to get a sun. I know they can be loud, but I have heard of many cases where they are not very loud or noisy at all! And the fact that they are mostly loud in the morning and at night isn't too much of a problem. I have the time during the day to encourage him/her to make quieter sounds. I live in a single-family home with neighbors only on one side of my house (I am the last in a row of houses). They also have 4 rambunctious little boys whom they're almost always getting mad at, so I'm sure they wouldn't notice or care if my bird had any screaming sessions. I know I shouldn't count on getting a quiet conure since young birds can change so much as they grow older, but I strongly believe that with a good upbringing and work/patience, I can train him to scream less. I am definitely up to it because I've always wanted a sun conure.

I'm also considering Red-Bellied Parrots, Jardine's Parrots, and Hahn's Macaws. I actually really want a Hahn's Macaw, but they are hard to find where I am. A lot of people have sun conures so I know a lot more about them than the other three I mentioned. I was hoping I'd be able to hear more about them from you guys.

Any input is welcome! I really want to choose the right bird for me. Thanks everyone

I love sun conures too. I have heard they are noisy. There are several members w/baby suns now. Check out their posts for more info. I have a amazon, he's mostly quiet, but he has his moments. His screams are very loud sometimes @ dark. He's one of the smaller amazons, but he's alot of bird in a small package. Very active, communicates w/his beak. Very smart, he can open doors & out smart you if you're not paying attention. He is very loving & gives me kisses when I come home, but has been known to punish me if he thinks I have been away from him too long. They bite hard at times, probably not a good bird w/small children. Little fingers you know. Good luck w/your research.

Mine is about 6 week old now and boy is he loud! but it can be controlled in a sense!

Give the attention he/she deserves and the most you'll her from him is a quite chirp. It really is cute!

Yeah, but give him too much attention and they get spolied and the scream for your attention.

You mention that Hanhs macaws are hard to find where you located. So where are you located?? You can also look at Senegal Parrots or Pionus parrots, which are known to be quieter species.

merlinsmom13 said:

I love sun conures too. I have heard they are noisy. There are several members w/baby suns now. Check out their posts for more info. I have a amazon, he's mostly quiet, but he has his moments. His screams are very loud sometimes @ dark. He's one of the smaller amazons, but he's alot of bird in a small package. Very active, communicates w/his beak. Very smart, he can open doors & out smart you if you're not paying attention. He is very loving & gives me kisses when I come home, but has been known to punish me if he thinks I have been away from him too long. They bite hard at times, probably not a good bird w/small children. Little fingers you know. Good luck w/your research.

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I really love amazons too, but I don't think I'm as into them as I am sun conures. I did have an amazon obsession a while ago, but I just keep coming back to sun conures because they're so irresistible! Thanks for your input though, I might look into some small amazons.

Sabbath said:

Mine is about 6 week old now and boy is he loud! but it can be controlled in a sense!

Give the attention he/she deserves and the most you'll her from him is a quite chirp. It really is cute!

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Hahaha awww!! That is really cute . When they get older do they settle down a little? Or do they just stay loud? I also agree with mtdoramike, I feel like if you always spend time with your bird to make sure he doesn't ever feel the need to scream, he'll become too dependent and if you have a different schedule one day he'll be too unsettled. I'll make sure to have lots of toys and teach him to entertain himself in his cage if ever I can't be there.

mtdoramike said:

You mention that Hanhs macaws are hard to find where you located. So where are you located?? You can also look at Senegal Parrots or Pionus parrots, which are known to be quieter species.

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I'm in New Jersey. All the Hahn's macaws at bird stores are sold out (only found one anyway) and there were a couple ads that I saw but I really want a Hahn's macaw and not a Noble macaw. I know they're basically the same on the inside, but I just find Hahn's macaws cuter and I prefer them. A while ago I did see some Hahn's macaws.. I just wasn't ready at the time for a new bird.

Well last week he was a loud louder, and whenever I take him out of my room and into the living room he gets noticeably louder, so I don't know.

I've heard that they get a LOT louder as they age but only in their voice, whether they use it is up to you. Do know that they will scream every once in a while just for the sake of nature.

Sabbath said:

Well last week he was a loud louder, and whenever I take him out of my room and into the living room he gets noticeably louder, so I don't know.

I've heard that they get a LOT louder as they age but only in their voice, whether they use it is up to you. Do know that they will scream every once in a while just for the sake of nature.

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Well that's fine, I know they'll scream as part of their nature. You can't change that! As for getting louder, could it be that your living room is more open so the sound bounced off the walls more? Bedrooms are usually smaller and have more furniture so the sound doesn't echo as much.

Well that's fine, I know they'll scream as part of their nature. You can't change that! As for getting louder, could it be that your living room is more open so the sound bounced off the walls more? Bedrooms are usually smaller and have more furniture so the sound doesn't echo as much.

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Conures are SUPER loud, no matter what room you have them in. My ears can't handle the scream of a conure. They are cute little things though.

I'm a bit biased, and hope for something different as my next bird; but I love Bob and he is friendly and chirlps in a bizzare fassion to me. I don't know what it would take from me to give him up. He is small and cuddly. He is a tiel.

stephend said:

I'm a bit biased, and hope for something different as my next bird; but I love Bob and he is friendly and chirlps in a bizzare fassion to me. I don't know what it would take from me to give him up. He is small and cuddly. He is a tiel.

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Oh I have a tiel, he is such a velcro bird . I love him to pieces! He follows me around everywhere and always sings songs when I move my feet or wiggle my toes in front of him!

I have a green cheek conure, who is an absolute joy! The breeder I got him from also breeds sun conures. She said that if kept as an only bird, they are quieter than if they have other birds around. (but they are still noisy lol)

I am fond of Conures because they are so good with kids. Our daughters, (8 & 5), are VERY loud, no matter what room we put them in. Our first Jenday (Kila-RIP) loved to join in on the kid's ruckus. Hilarious. Our second Jenday, Benny, is still quite timid and isn't that interested in human interaction. He still well tolerates the children's antics and watches with a curious eye. I think he (and conures in general) relate to children. That's why I like conures.

Not all conures are the same Jendays suns and goldcaps are basiclly the same species. They all diprived from a goldcap.
Then nanday are a diffrent species though it's belived they should be with the suns gold caps and Jendays. Larger species like cherrys and mitreds are less noisy on a frequent scale. And then largest conures like ye conure and goldens. Much quieter but still a loud pitch. All conures are diffrent. Some loud and loud alot. Some very loud but not often

If you want a step up from a conure, I suggest a Hahn's macaw. Not only because I have one, but they are the perfect step up from a conure. You might even want to try a senegal, or a meyers parrot!

Rio Mom said:

I have a green cheek conure, who is an absolute joy! The breeder I got him from also breeds sun conures. She said that if kept as an only bird, they are quieter than if they have other birds around. (but they are still noisy lol)

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Hahaha my mom was saying kind of the same thing yesterday. She said that my cockatiel might teach the sun conure how to scream, since I'm probably getting a baby. My cockatiel can be loud, but it's not a bothersome scream at all, and he stops once he sees you. It's just when he can't see you that he'll start screaming/chirping loudly and you just walk back a little and he'll run to catch up . So cute! But since I won't really have other sun conures, maybe my sunny won't scream that often if my cockatiel doesn't scream often.. hmmmm .

BennyIsMyBird said:

I am fond of Conures because they are so good with kids. Our daughters, (8 & 5), are VERY loud, no matter what room we put them in. Our first Jenday (Kila-RIP) loved to join in on the kid's ruckus. Hilarious. Our second Jenday, Benny, is still quite timid and isn't that interested in human interaction. He still well tolerates the children's antics and watches with a curious eye. I think he (and conures in general) relate to children. That's why I like conures.

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Makes total sense! They're such playful and crazy birds; they'd be great with children .

Conurekidd said:

Not all conures are the same Jendays suns and goldcaps are basiclly the same species. They all diprived from a goldcap.
Then nanday are a diffrent species though it's belived they should be with the suns gold caps and Jendays. Larger species like cherrys and mitreds are less noisy on a frequent scale. And then largest conures like ye conure and goldens. Much quieter but still a loud pitch. All conures are diffrent. Some loud and loud alot. Some very loud but not often

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Wow suns and jendays came from goldcaps?? I thought it was the other way around lol! I thought it was easier to get a green bird than a yellow bird, so goldcaps came from mixing other birds. Weird! I hope the sun I get is loud but not often .

wibitywab said:

If you want a step up from a conure, I suggest a Hahn's macaw. Not only because I have one, but they are the perfect step up from a conure. You might even want to try a senegal, or a meyers parrot!

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I would looooooooove a Hahn's macaw! I just wish more people were selling them here . Hahn's macaws are so cute hahahha. Especially Bubbles on youtube, who says "YUMMY YUMMY YUMMY YUMMY YUMMY" he's so funny lol! Have you guys seen him? Just search "hahn's macaw talking" or something like that. So cute! And they're not as loud as sun conures from what I heard. There's a woman on youtube who has a sun and a hahn's macaw and an alexandrine parrot, and she posted a video of them screaming in the morning. The Hahn's was nothing compared to the other two .

I would looooooooove a Hahn's macaw! I just wish more people were selling them here . Hahn's macaws are so cute hahahha. Especially Bubbles on youtube, who says "YUMMY YUMMY YUMMY YUMMY YUMMY" he's so funny lol! Have you guys seen him? Just search "hahn's macaw talking" or something like that. So cute! And they're not as loud as sun conures from what I heard. There's a woman on youtube who has a sun and a hahn's macaw and an alexandrine parrot, and she posted a video of them screaming in the morning. The Hahn's was nothing compared to the other two .

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Yes, I have seen both videos, now I want my Hahn's to say yummy yummy. There is also a part where bubbles says YUUUUMMMEYYY so funny!

Wow, there are so many options, and we all have our favorites. Conures are so cute, but I don't know that I could tolerate the noise level.

I'm very partial to CAGs and Red-front Macaws. CAGs are pretty easy to find, but RFMs aren't very common at all. They're both on the small side of the larger birds and neither of ours is very loud at all. Both Ruby and Jade cuddle, but Ruby only cuddles with me - her favorite.

wibitywab said:

I would looooooooove a Hahn's macaw! I just wish more people were selling them here . Hahn's macaws are so cute hahahha. Especially Bubbles on youtube, who says "YUMMY YUMMY YUMMY YUMMY YUMMY" he's so funny lol! Have you guys seen him? Just search "hahn's macaw talking" or something like that. So cute! And they're not as loud as sun conures from what I heard. There's a woman on youtube who has a sun and a hahn's macaw and an alexandrine parrot, and she posted a video of them screaming in the morning. The Hahn's was nothing compared to the other two .

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Yes, I have seen both videos, now I want my Hahn's to say yummy yummy. There is also a part where bubbles says YUUUUMMMEYYY so funny!

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LOL in what video?? I HAVE to see that now!!

HRH Di said:

Wow, there are so many options, and we all have our favorites. Conures are so cute, but I don't know that I could tolerate the noise level.

I'm very partial to CAGs and Red-front Macaws. CAGs are pretty easy to find, but RFMs aren't very common at all. They're both on the small side of the larger birds and neither of ours is very loud at all. Both Ruby and Jade cuddle, but Ruby only cuddles with me - her favorite.

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I did consider AGs but I heard they're very moody and are prone to plucking. Not to say I don't have time to give them attention - I have at least 7 hours every day - it's also the mood swings that kinda turn me away from them. How big are RFMs? I saw a couple on Hoobly kiiind of near where I am.....

It's not a proven Theroy. But it's strongly followed. And sun are belives to be an inbred mistake that resulted in a whole new species. Gold caps interbred eventually finding a Jenday in the flock. Once more and more bred which had to be interbred (in the wild not captivity) They had no choise.. resulted in a smaller more defaulted species of conure. There smaller and have a tiny bit higher pitch scream. Just like lutino cockatiels it's a result from the species being limited to space and interbred. Resulting a smaller weaker mutation.
But that's the past though. There's been so many successful breeding generations since then. There fine (health wise). But certainly explains there smaller size and more prone to illness than others. Pretty interesting fact. Thought id share it in a conure thread . Sorry if it's boring lol