Welcome!
Parrots can be fun and entertaining, but that is the result of so much hard work and there is no way to know if one will be nice or a talker because they change SO MUCH when they become adults/hit puberty. They are much harder to own than a dog or cat and require a TON of training, patience, and lifestyle changes. They are discarded frequently by well-meaning people who think they know what they are getting into and quickly realize they were unprepared to take one on. Please just make sure you research their health needs (including things like Teflon/PTFE/PFOA/PFCs) before taking one on. I am not saying you are going to be a bad owner- I am just asking you to think VERY carefully and research behavior/lifestyle changes before adopting.
I don't believe in "starter birds" but I will say that the larger the species, the more dangerous, the louder and the more expensive to house, feed, and entertain..And a large bird can send someone to the emergency room much more easily than a small one. Don't be fooled- budgies and smaller species are incredibly intelligent as well (but most people don't give them the time that it takes to create a tame bird). All birds take a long time-- the difference is, large parrot owners tend to spend a lot more money on their birds, which means they often have more to lose if it goes wrong (BUT--birds large and small get neglected and discarded all the time). I am just saying-- a small bird is as intelligent and can be just as entertaining (as many small bird owners in this forum will tell you) but they ALL require a huge amount of time, routine etc (including a bedtime schedule)...and they are MESSY AND LOUD...But bigger birds are the loudest when they want to be...All birds are loud, expensive, messy, destructive and annoying at times (the entertaining parts are mixed with very frustrating parts).
Imagine adopting a crazy 3-4-year old who never grows up, can fly, and has a chainsaw for a face....then imagine that the child has natural energy levels for flying 40+ miles a day, but is locked up all the time..and then add to that, the fact that any chemicals, smoke, incense, burning food, perfumes, Teflon/ptfe/pfoa/pfcs, candles etc can kill them....It's A LOT to take on--- and they need to be with you for years and years (sometimes 80+) because they bond for life and get super upset if bounced from home to home. They need hours of time each day and they need someone to wake them up and put them to bed at the same time daily. They also require a ton of fresh veg etc and they are very sensitive to changes within the home...On top of that, they often get super close to one person and can become aggressive towards other family members (yes-- they can be socialized, but it is, as I said, A LOT of work and it takes a lonnnnnng time). Babies are always super sweet until they hit puberty- so it is easy to assume that a young bird is gentle etc, when in reality, much like a human baby, they are just immature.
