Searching for a Hawkhead

[QuitowashisnameO]

Hello everyone! I'm so glad that this species specific topic is available. I need some assistance because my heart hurts. I'm an Army Veterinary Corp veteran, avid exotic bird enthusiast, living in Texas and not born yesterday.

I just got finished turning down a Wisconsin scammer trying to sell me a 4 y/o Hawkhead male for $1000 with no health guarantee, no ability to see him on video and I believe this breeder used photos from another site to show me his "available bird". Every red flag went up when he swore that his birds are healthy and cost only $150 to ship.

DOES ANYONE know of a reputable breeder? A Facebook page does not a legit breeder make.
I don't want to breed, I just want a healthy one as a pet. I want a health guarantee on a contract, preference towards current blood/fecal test results for disease from avian vet, the ability to see this bird via video chat prior to purchase, current photos, list of their diet and a personality assessment.

Please message me directly if you can provide some light at the end of this tunnel.

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[QuitowashisnameO]

Thank you!

 

[wrench13]

Good Luck finding legit breeders of any highly exotic parrot species these days, the internet is just lousy with fraud, scammers and just plain crooks these days. I would bet a gold doubloon to a barrel of pigshit that a true legit price for one of these guys is well in the $4-6000 range, if not more. If your serious ,I would add in the cost of flying to where ever this specimen is, to assure its there, healthy and really for sale.

Any high ticket item is going to attract hordes of scammers worldwide. Try buying a Rolex!! You'll most likely wind up with a RoIex (lower case I).

They are magnificent parrots, though!

 

[kme3388]

I’m sorry about the experience you’ve had trying to find a Hawkhead. As stated by @wrench13 they are hard to come by. It’s heartbreaking how many people have posted on here about being scammed. Some people have lost $1000’s.

I am not sure if you are dead set on a Hawkhead. Another avenue you could take is adopting from a local shelter. The great thing about adopting is you will bond with that parrot before you ever bring it home. You’ll know the experience of a parrot picking you as their owner. Not to mention you can get a good idea on personality traits. Most shelters also have their parrots vet checked.

 

[LoveOfallAnimals]

I don't know where in Texas you are located, but there are several reputable bird stores in Houston, Dallas, and even one in Corpus Christi. I personally would go to one of them. I know that ABC Birds in Humble Texas has in the past had hawkheads. So has Kookaburra Birds in the Dallas area.

The other option is to reach out to some of the rescues as one might happen to have one.

 

[QuitowashisnameO]

I don't know where in Texas you are located, but there are several reputable bird stores in Houston, Dallas, and even one in Corpus Christi. I personally would go to one of them. I know that ABC Birds in Humble Texas has in the past had hawkheads. So has Kookaburra Birds in the Dallas area.

The other option is to reach out to some of the rescues as one might happen to have one.

Thank you for that! Any info on those specific breeders would be greatly received.

 

[QuitowashisnameO]

I don't know where in Texas you are located, but there are several reputable bird stores in Houston, Dallas, and even one in Corpus Christi. I personally would go to one of them. I know that ABC Birds in Humble Texas has in the past had hawkheads. So has Kookaburra Birds in the Dallas area.

The other option is to reach out to some of the rescues as one might happen to have one

I’m sorry about the experience you’ve had trying to find a Hawkhead. As stated by @wrench13 they are hard to come by. It’s heartbreaking how many people have posted on here about being scammed. Some people have lost $1000’s.

I am not sure if you are dead set on a Hawkhead. Another avenue you could take is adopting from a local shelter. The great thing about adopting is you will bond with that parrot before you ever bring it home. You’ll know the experience of a parrot picking you as their owner. Not to mention you can get a good idea on personality traits. Most shelters also have their parrots vet checked.

I absolutely thought of that but very rarely do I hear about parrots being at shelter around here. Is there anything that posts available parrots for adoption specifically? (Without the $1000's in "rehoming fee"?)

 

[Jcas]

This might be a weird idea, but you see these birds at zoos sometimes. Could you reach out to a zoo with Hawkheads and find out where they got their birds?

 

[kme3388]

In my local area shelters/rescues usually have an online application you have to fill out. They have a re-homing fee. Here where I am at it’s between $500-1000 usually. They will require a meet & greet, and usually a home visit (of your home). It’s a pretty thorough process. They are just trying to protect their parrots.

Parrot shelters at least the ones here have macaws, cockatoos, amazons, conures, budgies, cockatiels, and such. I’ve never seen a hawkhead there myself not to say that it can’t happen. Macaws are in shelters, and they cost $5000+. Unfortunately parrots aren’t always the easiest to live with. People often don’t understand what they are taking on until it’s too late.

 

[DonnaBudgie]

I don't know where in Texas you are located, but there are several reputable bird stores in Houston, Dallas, and even one in Corpus Christi. I personally would go to one of them. I know that ABC Birds in Humble Texas has in the past had hawkheads. So has Kookaburra Birds in the Dallas area.

The other option is to reach out to some of the rescues as one might happen to have one.

The Los Angeles area also has lots of bird breeders and dealers. Call Birds Plus in Van Nuys/Valley Glen, CA. The owner is a serious bird person and his shop always has lots of parrots. And talk about noisy- when they are start screaming it's deafening! He may not have one but may be able to source one for you.

 

[texsize]

The Los Angeles area also has lots of bird breeders and dealers. Call Birds Plus in Van Nuys/Valley Glen, CA. The owner is a serious bird person and his shop always has lots of parrots. And talk about noisy- when they are start screaming it's deafening! He may not have one but may be able to source one for you.

I may have been to this guy’s shop once years ago.
At the time he had some baby pi’s (can’t spell the full name) he was taking care of at the register.
He did have lots of birds

 

[DonnaBudgie]

I may have been to this guy’s shop once years ago.
At the time he had some baby pi’s (can’t spell the full name) he was taking care of at the register.
He did have lots of birds

He was on the news recently when someone grabbed one of his parrots and tried to run out of the store with the bird stuffed under his coat. He wrestled the guy to the ground and got his bird back.
I used to stop by his store just to see the huge assortment of big parrots.

 

[texsize]

He was on the news recently when someone grabbed one of his parrots and tried to run out of the store with the bird stuffed under his coat. He wrestled the guy to the ground and got his bird back.
I used to stop by his store just to see the huge assortment of big parrots.

I am not for sure it’s the same place.
IIR it’s on Burbank Blvd off the 405 , close to the legendary 405-101 interchange
I drove through the general area every day work n back but my commute was so long I just didn’t want to stop..

There was another shop with lots of parrots.
No idea if it’s still there or its name.
was located on Redondo Beach Blvd just East of Hawthorn Blvd.
Nosiest place I have ever been (short of a shooting range).
They boarded birds and sold them but they had one entire wall of toys.
Both my wife and I left with migraines

 

[DonnaBudgie]

I am not for sure it’s the same place.
IIR it’s on Burbank Blvd off the 405 , close to the legendary 405-101 interchange
I drove through the general area every day work n back but my commute was so long I just didn’t want to stop..

There was another shop with lots of parrots.
No idea if it’s still there or its name.
was located on Redondo Beach Blvd just East of Hawthorn Blvd.
Nosiest place I have ever been (short of a shooting range).
They boarded birds and sold them but they had one entire wall of toys.
Both my wife and I left with migraines

It is right off Burbank Blvd near the 405 on a side street.

 

[TxBandit]

Hello everyone! I'm so glad that this species specific topic is available. I need some assistance because my heart hurts. I'm an Army Veterinary Corp veteran, avid exotic bird enthusiast, living in Texas and not born yesterday.

I just got finished turning down a Wisconsin scammer trying to sell me a 4 y/o Hawkhead male for $1000 with no health guarantee, no ability to see him on video and I believe this breeder used photos from another site to show me his "available bird". Every red flag went up when he swore that his birds are healthy and cost only $150 to ship.

DOES ANYONE know of a reputable breeder? A Facebook page does not a legit breeder make.
I don't want to breed, I just want a healthy one as a pet. I want a health guarantee on a contract, preference towards current blood/fecal test results for disease from avian vet, the ability to see this bird via video chat prior to purchase, current photos, list of their diet and a personality assessment.

Please message me directly if you can provide some light at the end of this tunnel.

Moderator edit:

This member hasn't yet reached the minimum post count to have access to PMs. Any of the moderators can forward messages to/from them until then.

Dont know if you found one, but JC Aviary in Austin currently has a baby for sale.