Rare birds as pets?

While taking on of those "which bird is right for you" quizzes... (i was really bored), I found something quite interesting. They listed four magnificent birds that are "rare" but still known as pets. They were, crows, toucans toucanets and aracaris, mynahs, doves and pigeons. I knew toucans, mynahs, and doves were common and i have looking into the toucans for around a year (still decided not to get one)...I have a very hard time making decisions....lol... anyway do any of you guys have a crow, toucan, dove or mynah? Do any of you have even rarer birds as pets? I mean like Kea, Kaka, Vulturine, St lucia, and St Vincent amazon, vasa, rare macaws,black cockatoos or are into falconry? If anyone hasn't seen them, there are three extraordinary birds i must share you you guys if you haven't already known about them. The "C o c k-of-the-rocks", (if i didn't space out would have starred it out, not meaning anything inappropriate) "racquet tailed parrots" and one of my personal favourites, the "great-billed parrots"....VERY pretty....

Another questions arises from this. Have any of you guys ever seen a rare bird in person? If so, which? If their are any birds i have overlooked and you think should be mentioned as rare birds in captivity, please mention them, i'd love to see them.



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To me a Toucan are not good indoor birds, they need a HUGE flighted aviary. Plus they need specific diet! I've known people keeping Crows and they're really intelligent birds. Doves are easy to keep, I've seen many pet shops still selling Doves. Mynah birds is super messy birds like the Lory and need specific diet. I always liked Mynah birds and thought they're super kewl birds. I grew up with them around and I used to sit in front of their cages talking to them.

Wow, thanks for being the first one to post on my thread! Did you get the chance to look up those three birds i wrote about? Really cool birds

Yes I've seen all three and they're all very beautiful!!! I was very disappointed when I went to FL in search of the Spix Macaw at the Busch Garden and did not get to see it. I looked all over while at Busch Garden and walked away disappointed....

Aww, talk about disappointing. One of my dreams is to see a spix's macaw...flying through the rainforest canopy. I'm positive these breeding efforts will save many parrots, such as the kakapo and spix's macaw. Have you ever considered falconry? I personally wouldn't because obtaining the raptors involves taking them out o the wild, but i recall a website selling non-native birds of prey that you need no license for. Some type of african vulture or something. An attractive bird indeed!


Also, i forgot to mention two parrots that caught my eye...the hawk-headed parrot, and one of my personal favourites, the black lory. I noticed you have one of those! May i ask how much the bird cost for the cage and the bird itself? i cannot find any black lories on the market.... stunning...a jet black bird is always cool, and the tail feathers are stunning!

No never considered Falconry what so ever. And the Hawk-headed Parrot are very expensive but I have seen them in person and they're stunning! Yes I have a Black Lory named Malachai, got him when he was barely 2 months old. A lady brought him up to the local bird fair from FL. They're priced at $500 most of the places I've checked and that's how much I paid for him. He's a stunning bird yes, crazy too...lol His cage I bought off someone else that was getting rid of them cheap at $40 but I'm thinking about upgrading his cage again and getting him something bigger cause he likes to play on the grate, he likes playing soccer.

Well thank you! I have got to visit a bird fair soon. One coming up, might get a new fid! My financial situation is sort of tight, so for the new bird, i am going to set up a savings just for that bird. Might even do a fundraiser, maybe raise funds to get an extremely rare bird pair in captivity (imperial amazon), and breed them to protect their wild status. Before i do that i need to learn how to hand-feed, etc, not to mention get more captive experience with birds. Well i'm going to bed. Add me as a friend and we can talk later?

Wings said:

My financial situation is sort of tight, so for the new bird, i am going to set up a savings just for that bird. Might even do a fundraiser, maybe raise funds to get an extremely rare bird pair in captivity (imperial amazon), and breed them to protect their wild status.

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Hi, I have not met you yet, but I wanted to say hello and welcome you to the forum!! I have been reading about your stellar dream to raise a rare parrot species and it sounds like you are off to a good start! However, this little line kinda bugs me a bit, please don't get me wrong, I am all for following your dreams but asking other people to pay for it is going about it the wrong way in my mind. Parrots, at least to me, are companion animals. I would not ask my neighbor to help me fund the purchase of a parrot, a pet. I think you should settle into your financial situation, and wait for that excess money to roll in, before looking to buy a large and expensive bird.

Another point I don't quite understand is that you are looking at very rare, beautiful, and expensive birds. Do you have previous experience working with and caring for such precious parrots? You currently have a Budgie, which are absolute dolls, and you are looking to jump from a Budgie to a rare species of parrot. To me, this is a bit excessive, even in the name of following a dream. Perhaps, for the time being until you are completely financially secure, have chosen your rare breed (this gives you time to make a safe and informed decision), and gotten some hands on experience and industry contacts you could look into buying a fantastic lifetime companion bird? I notice that you have completely discounted many amazing parrot species! Poicephalus parrots, Conures, Eclectus, African Greys, IRN, and many other parrot species are represented on this forum with happy parrot parents!

Please don't think I am trying to dissuade you or saying anything bad about you, I am just giving my two cents for what its worth. Welcome to the forum!!

I love the aracaries.Ive not actually seen one in person but there are few people online that own them. And the Hawk heads are absolutely gorgeous.
You dont have to own a bird you dont really want to get experience..You can get valuable experience by volunteering at a bird rescue, local zoo or even a nearby parrot breeder that doesnt mind having you help hand feed and clean for free.Even a wildlife rehab that needs help could get you some experience with raptors or vultures.
Set yourself up a handful of goals and start working toward it.But experience is key, you can read all you like but hands on experience will beat that out every time.

Thanks for everyone s imput, just tosay, I do have experience, I am actaully getting a grey! Evdryone is on the breeding thing, howdver I said I'd start at another time, sorry if I didn't make it clear, anyway, thanks for replying!

I cared for keas for years, they are amazing birds but as far as i know apart from illegally smuggled birds they arent available readily overseas?? Ive also handraised rooks, indian mynas, himalyan monal pheasants, kereru, moreporks and australasian harriers, the last 3 for release back into the wild.. all birds have their ups and downs, pros and cons.. its finding what suits your lifestyle not rarity of the species, but upon saying that... we have all had those dreams... i swear keeping birds is a sickness haha

You can get a kea in new zealand? Or just rehabilitating them? Anyway, thanks for your input.

Not anymore, quite a few years ago you were able to apply for permits to keep keas, but the agreement was they were not to be bred, as far as i know people who were issued permits before the changes were allowed to keep them but no more permits were to be issued. So its now just wildlife parks that get to have the pleasure..

There are breeders in the UK selling them though?

Oh i would belive it, as far as i know a few were exported in the early 80s but other than that a fair few have been smuggled out im guessing, just like our reptiles

Owlgirl, if you want more info on toucans, aracaris and toucanets PM me i happen to be quite knowledgeable about them

You decided on a grey?

Well i did, until...i met them at the bird store...every single one hated me. So i was set on it for a while until i had an interaction with theme

I was bit by Rose the first time we met when she was a wee chick newly weaned and almost didn't buy her. I had recently lost my first Eclectus, Jasmine, and my expectations for this little girl who didn't know me were probably a bit high. Thankfully my husband looked at me like I was nuts when I said I wasn't sure, and reminded me of the constant bites I received from the CAG who lived with us for three years that I always defended when she bit him!!

Rose and I became best of friends and now, 8 years later, I have learned so much about Eclectus parrots thanks to.Rose, her chicks and the others I acquired because I love the species -- mostly because of Rose.

Rose is so pretty too!