Quieter parrots

[Grimace]

I've been looking at non parrot birds, but I really like the parrot personalities so I figure I'll ask. What are the generally quieter parrots? I'd prefer something larger if possible.
Greys caught my eye, and I've heard they tend not to be screamers at least, but I assume it largely depends on the individual.

Alexandrine parakeets seem pretty cool too, but I have heard very mixed opinions on their noise levels.

What would you guys suggest?

 

[Frumpydumple]

I have heard of Greys being quieter birds too, but my mother's CAG is just as loud as her Sun Conure if not louder. Green Cheek Conures, Parrotlets, Pionus, Lovebirds and parrots from the Poicephalus family are all somewhat "quiet" birds. (It varies though)

 

[veimar]

I have a greek cheek conure, and he is very quiet, even too quiet for me. He can make some louder noise, but very seldom. He has also very sweet personality.

 

[RavensGryf]

It really depends on what you personally consider loud or too frequent. For example, tiny Budgies can be both surprisingly loud for their size (when having a screaming fit) as well as frequently noisy singing and such. They drive me nuts, while some people don't mind at all. I personally dislike the Cockatiel sound.

Parrots are vocal creatures in general, so let's say you'll tolerate a "reasonable" amount of noise. As far as frequency of noise making, some species generally speaking are more vocal, but then some individuals (within the same species) are much less vocal than is typical. That can be because of training, socialization, environment, AND individuality.

As far as how loud in volume, depends on species. BUT what volume or pitch you can personally tolerate is something of course you'll have to determine yourself after hearing different parrots first hand.

For example, I have heard people say before, that some of the smaller Poicephalus (Senegal, Meyer's, Red Bellied, etc) are loud, but personally I don't agree at all! In fact their call is really wimpy IMO lol. Loudest is sort of a high pitched whistle, but NOT even near as loud or piercing as a conure.

Pionus are considered quiet. Raven is quiet, but I've heard him yell, and I used to have another Pionus, so I know what they sound like. Some people say Pionus are loud. I don't agree... Even a Pionus screaming full blast is NOTHING compared to most parrots. Still people will say they can be loud. See? It really depends on the person's opinion of what loud is

There is a Goffin's cockatoo who lives next door... Now he is LOUD and the pitch is very RASPY and hard to listen to. But that's only MY opinion. His owner can tolerate it (though she admits he's obnoxious haha)!

 

[Grimace]

Yeah, I probably should have mentioned that haha. I think I'm less tolerant of really shrill harsh sounds.
I don't mind noise persay, I just was hoping to avoid as much actual screaming as possible.

Are there any parrots that are quieter in the mornings than others?

 

[Terry57]

My Crimson bellied conure is what I would consider quiet, where as Talli, my Pi is really loud. He, my Ekkie and my Amazons are the only ones I can hear from outside the house.
I agree with Julie, different sounds affect people differently. The shrillness pierces my eardrums..lol.

 

[Grimace]

How about eclectus? Fromt he videos I'm seeing they seem to be pretty quiet.

 

[Terry57]

My eclectus is quiet for most of the time, but usually once a day he lets out a scream that could break glasses. It is LOUD and piercing, but thankfully he only does it a little.

 

[Kiwibird]

I think that boils down to the individual bird, and you MUST realize ALL the large parrots have the ability to be very loud, and even "quiet" individuals sometimes let loose with ear shattering screams. Cockatoos are known to be screamers. My parents have one of the smaller cockatoos, and that bird screams like a banshee all the time, so loud you'd imagine he was elephant-size. My amazon is generally quiet, only once in a blue moon does he really get a bug up his butt (and then you can hear him down the block!). My parents have 2 amazons, one makes very pretty noises all the time (she is rarely silent, but never loud, if that makes sense). The male only makes noise when he wants something (food), but is otherwise silent. In fact, many amazons are quiet most of the time, but when they do have a "moment", they are very loud. Some of the smaller zons are considered "quiet" for parrots (lilac crows, orange winged, green cheeks). I have heard both eclectus and grays make VERY high pitched "shrilly" noises, but whether or not that is a rare occurrence or an "all the time" thing, I do not know. Macaws are obviously able to out screech them all due to their size, but I think like the zons, they tend to be on the quieter side most of the time and only get loud every so often. Conures (no offense to anyone) can be some of the most irritating little noisemakers I've ever heard, same with alexandrines because it's so high pitched. The noises budgies make makes too, because the noise never stops, even though it isn't "loud" compared to big birds. However, everyone has a different definition of irritating noises. Some people have no issue with a higher-pitched but overall lower volume conure scream compared to a lower pitch, higher volume amazon or macaw scream. That's something you have to decide.

I suggest you watch some youtube videos on full volume of different species of parrots screaming. In real life, it will be at least 10X louder, so you have an idea of what to expect.

 

[Sterling1113]

My ekkie is LOUD... I thought I could handle it, but I was WRONG. There's no way I could keep him in an apartment just because of the volume.
My green cheek/white eared aren't so loud, but it's constant. Rather than a super freakishly loud sound for 2-3 seconds, they'll have 20-30 second screaming fits and it irritates me, but usually it doesn't drive me completely insane.
My Pionus(white cap) is the quietest. Most of the time you wouldn't even know he was there.(If not for the large cage in the corner..) However, I haven't had him very long, so I haven't heard how loud he "can" be. He does imitate a sun conure sometimes if I'm watching a video with a sun in it, since he used to share a cage with a sun in his previous home. Even still, it's not anywhere NEAR as loud as an actual sun conure. Just a quiet copy cat.

Edit: Sorry, it probably sounds like my ekkie screamed all the time. His screams are few and far between, rarely doing the infamous ekkie "alarm call". However, it only takes one time to tick off a neighbor and get a noise complaint.

 

[Grimace]

Yeah, i think I need to go visit some parrots.
We have some pretty varied bird stores around I'll go check out.

 

[thekarens]

Definitely check them out. My two sennies are quiet IMO, but the male is much noisier than the female, but still very quiet compared to other parrots. On the flip side my partner has parrot finches and gouldians and they have a call/song that drives me nuts. They, thankfully, live in her office.

 

[RavensGryf]

Funny, my Red Bellied also does a copycat conure sound (when we lived near a Sun) but Robin doesn't have near as powerful of a voice.

I know you want a concrete answer to help you get a clearer idea, but there really are so many variables that make one bird more vocal than the next one. I think though, that if you really love the bird, you'll tolerate a certain amount of volume or noise and maybe even more than you thought you could!

As far as screaming in the morning goes, most parrots do for a few minutes (I guess?), however I have NEVER had a morning screamer (believe it or not) for some reason, and I've had about 7 different species over about 20 years. Maybe some were noisier than others, but I don't markedly remember anyway, about any certain one having a daily morning scream.

 

[Sterling1113]

I'm with you, Raven. Never had a morning screamer. However, we have sun-blocking curtains, so it's not like the sun wakes them up in the morning. (They sleep till 11-12, depending on when I wake up.)
The sun blocking curtains also helped during mating season, so I don't have to cage/cover them to shorten daylight hours, just shut the curtains!

 

[Grimace]

I think though, that if you really love the bird, you'll tolerate a certain amount of volume or noise and maybe even more than you thought you could!

Yeah, I think so too!
I'm just going to have a couple roommates, and I overly worry about noise.
They said they wouldn't mind it at all as long as it wasn't something like a cockatoo, and they all like animals themselves.

 

[GW.Joe]

I've always felt the birds environment has a lot to do with it.

For starters if you have only one bird, that removes the whole "calling" back and forth

Also if the birds environment is quiet I think they feel like they don't have to scream over the TV to be heard

My Zon is a good example, when he lived at my mom and dads house he was very loud, but my moms house was always noisy, TV always loud, kids running back and forth, 2 dogs barking and running around

When he was passed to me he completely stopped being loud, my home is quiet, I had a cat and soft music playing 24 hours a day, even after my kids came into the picture we are just more on the quiet calm side here

If you want a larger bird a Zon might work for you But they can be somewhat less cuddles, not as "touchy feely" as some other birds, some people will say they don't like to be touched much at all, Mine was on my shoulder everyday and loved me dearly, But he would also "growl" at me everyday

BTW, mine never screamed in the morning (or ever) in my home

I've had people tell me Blue and Gold Macaws, African Grays, and Conures tend to be screamers more than other birds, but Like RavensGryf said maybe only because of socialization & environment

Joe

 

[RavensGryf]

I was just thinking, a bird in the Poicephalus family would really be a good bet. Especially one of the smaller ones like my Red Bellied. Many people here have Senegals too.

As far as parrots go, the loudest sounds they are capable of making are VERY quiet compared to most parrots. Mostly peeps, squeaks, and high pitch whistles. Even doing their loudest they just don't have the "power" behind the voice.

 

[Grimace]

Yeah, the environment shouldn't be -too- loud I don't think.
Only other bird I have is a dove, would cooing set a parrot off like another parrot? (could they be out at the same time? I feel like the answer is no, but figured I'd ask)

Yeah, I've heard a lot about the senegals I'll definitely have to look into them. Ideally I'd prefer something a little bigger, but I won't discount a bird just because of size if its otherwise a good match.

 

[BirdyMomma]

This is going to go against EVERYTHING written about them, but my Most quiet bird is my Cockatoo. She is a Citron Crested, and besides saying "Hello!" and "Hi!" she may chuckle a little bit. Then maybe once or twice a month, she has a little 5-10 minute Cockatoo freak out where the crest goes up, and she screams and bounces.

My other birds make noise, but never to an unacceptable degree. I think that maybe a quiet household fosters a quiet bird? I mean, if they're surrounded by noise and activity, you can't expect them to be statues

 

[DuskyEmmitt]

My Dusky, while I have only had him at home a few days now, is very quiet. Almost too quiet. He occasionally makes a low chirping sound here and there when he is content in his cage. When one of us leaves the room he will do a slightly louder, double chirp...Nothing like other birds I have heard in the past.