What's your dream bird?

[Corkscr.ew]

I think a lot of us have birds that we'd love to own in the future, so this is a thread where we can share what they are.

My dream birds are a Goffin's cockatoo, a Major Mitchell's cockatoo, a red-tailed black cockatoo, and a galah. I also want a military macaw and a blue-crowned conure. My ideal flock would consist mostly or only of cockatoos. Please share yours!

 

[LaManuka]

I think a lot of us have birds that we'd love to own in the future, so this is a thread where we can share what they are.

My dream birds are a Goffin's cockatoo, a Major Mitchell's cockatoo, a red-tailed black cockatoo, and a galah. I also want a military macaw and a blue-crowned conure. My ideal flock would consist mostly or only of cockatoos. Please share yours!

This guy!! Since I lost my sweet Lilly I figured something good had to come out of it, and Lovejoy certainly is that

But also one of these, a Goldie's lorikeet!

Probably unlikely, since they're pretty rare in Australia and hideously expensive, but a girl can dream.

 

[DonnaBudgie]

My dream bird is a budgie or a green cheek or cockatiel that I could walk outside with on my shoulder and have him/her not fly away. They would be fully flighted but would never just fly off and not return. I would take my dream bird everywhere I go, call it my Emotional Support Bird.

Of course, this dream bird would be sweet like my Joey, or the cockatiel I has years ago, Charlie, or like Ona or Teeko from the forum. They wouldn't bite and would love me as much as I love them.
I know this bird doesn't exist, but I can dream.

 

[Vampiric_Conure]

Cockatiels and Peach front conures and LOTS of pionus. Budgies and diamond doves, and zebra finches! I'd have a whole, huge covered dome-like aviary/flying room/outdoor and indoor play gyms. That way, most of the birds can play safely together.

If I had to choose species, it would be my current flock

 

[AprilRobin]

I've been curious about Dusky-Headed Conures, Blue-Crowned, Peach-Front, and Black-Capped. Also, Eclectus. Realistically, we might adopt an older bird in the future (or two from the same home), after several of our current ones have passed.

However, I also feel very "compatible" and comfortable with Budgies and Cockatiels. I would probably be tempted to stick with those two species.

 

[OttoVonRuthless]

Otto is my dream bird- him being his happiest self.

 

[rheashard2]

My dream bird is a hawk headed parrot. Unfortunately I was purchased, trained by a domineering, manipulating, snarking CAG. So that sweet birdie is a dream.

 

[GivemeSeedsorgivemeFlesh]

I'm currently dreaming of a Linnie, but they are expensive and hard to keep safe. Also having two species would complicate travel. Smarter to have two that can share. But linnies are adorable and I might be able to actually give scritches if I had one. Not practical but I can dream.

 

[saxguy64]

If we're talking unlimited time and available space, then I've had a bucket list since I was a kid. All for different reasons, and based in what I knew back then which wasn't much lol. But..... In no particular order: a hyacinth, a moluccan, a gallah, a peach front conure, a grey and a yellow nape. And definitely tiels. I've met and spent at least a little time with most of these species except for the hy and gallah.

I'm so blessed some 50 years later to have been able to check a few of my dream birds off the list. Baxter my YNA, and Avery my grey are everything I dreamed and more. Interestingly, ekkies were never on my radar, entirely because they didn't exist in any of the books I had available back then. I've learned a lot since those days, and I couldn't ask for a better friend than my Tucker bird.

As for the others, I'm a little sad that they aren't in the cards, but I'll happily admire them from afar. They're waaaaay above my pay grade and I accept that and will leave them to folks with more time and knowledge than I possess

 

[DonnaBudgie]

Time is the enemy for many of us, isn't it? When you suddenly find yourself over 60 years old when you've been young all your life with all the time in the world, the lifespan of a particular bird is a huge factor to consider, especially when adopting a very young bird. I can't in good conscience adopt any bird that's going to live more than ten or 15 years. An elderly rescue maybe but most of those amazing larger parrots are no longer an option for me even though I'm currently pretty healthy. Even a young cockatiel may outlive me. So I have budgies, the only parrots that I can be pretty sure won't outlive me.

Unfortunately, unlike dogs and cats, parrots are very difficult to find a good new home for when their owner passes and could easily end up not only grieving for their lost human, but in a small cage (all cages are too small), forgotten and neglected. Painful to even think about.

 

[rheashard2]

Hey, I'm closer to 80 then 70! I'm still young, jumping through hoops for my CAG. She's got me well trained. So I have been training my live in daughter to be pass human trained 101. Unfortunately she keeps failing. She has a tattoo at base if spine above her rump. Nameliss's goal is to bite or preen or remove it. Long shirts, etc don't matter. CAG knows it's there. Since 30+ years old, I've had serious medical problems. My motto live with but do not be controlled by them. I've made those decisions. Yes it's upsetting. In my case it's the loss of contro about my pets that sends me depressed.

 

[AprilRobin]

Unfortunately, unlike dogs and cats, parrots are very difficult to find a good new home for when their owner passes and could easily end up not only grieving for their lost human, but in a small cage (all cages are too small), forgotten and neglected. Painful to even think about.

My mother thinks it would be "fun" if my husband and I let a pair of our Budgies breed...she keeps nagging us to "experience" it. I have to keep telling her that finding serious bird owners is not easy. Especially Budgies, who are treated like practice birds or starter pets.

 

[DonnaBudgie]

Stick to your guns and dont breed them. The other problem with wanting to breed your budgies once for the experience is that they won't stop at one clutch. The hen will start laying a second clutch when the chicks are still in the nestbox about to fledge. And then a third clutch. The only way to stop them is to physically separate the pair, and that's no fun if they're your friendly pets.

 

[AprilRobin]

There are some Budgie and Cockatiel color varieties that would be nice to have if we could get more. I wouldn't mind two or three more Budgies with a lot of green (only Basil is mostly green, and Misfit has some olive green). Or a violet. I've also seen Cockatiels with a couple of dark-ish grey shades (darker than what Pepper has). Not sure what they are called. Yellow-cheeks and Lutinos are also beautiful.

We end up choosing most birds because we felt that a certain one "needed" us, or they were the "right one".

 

[DonnaBudgie]

With budgies, the color varieties are endless. People ask me how I can tell my 19 (now 20) budgies apart, but they're all different mutations or sexes, or have small differences only I can see.

You should get an English budgie. I acquired 5 English a year ago from a show breeder in Massachusetts and they are beautiful, amazing delightful birds, and all but one (Mariah) seem quite healthy. They're quite a bit bigger and fluffier and they're also much more calm docile, and easier to handle than regular budgies. They are not easy to get. Pet stores very seldom have them. The best way is to contact a member of the American Budgerigar Society (I'm a member) because the show breeders always have extra birds to sell. I could help anyone who's interested get in touch with with a local breeder.

 

[DonnaBudgie]

Hey, I'm closer to 80 then 70! I'm still young, jumping through hoops for my CAG. She's got me well trained. So I have been training my live in daughter to be pass human trained 101. Unfortunately she keeps failing. She has a tattoo at base if spine above her rump. Nameliss's goal is to bite or preen or remove it. Long shirts, etc don't matter. CAG knows it's there. Since 30+ years old, I've had serious medical problems. My motto live with but do not be controlled by them. I've made those decisions. Yes it's upsetting. In my case it's the loss of contro about my pets that sends me depressed.

That's wonderful that you're still going strong at close to 80. Some older people seem to just stil around waitng to die. I hope you make it to 90 like this. My dad just died at 89 after only 8 weeks of post stroke misery. My ex husband is 86 and beat heart disease (bypass at 68) and stage 4 ptosyate cancer which is now undetectable.

Its funny how our birds find every flaw in our skin and to remove them! I have to wear long sleeves or Joey will chew up my arms.

 

[AprilRobin]

With budgies, the color varieties are endless. People ask me how I can tell my 19 (now 20) budgies apart, but they're all different mutations or sexes, or have small differences only I can see.

You should get an English budgie. I acquired 5 English a year ago from a show breeder in Massachusetts and they are beautiful, amazing delightful birds, and all but one (Mariah) seem quite healthy. They're quite a bit bigger and fluffier and they're also much more calm docile, and easier to handle than regular budgies. They are not easy to get. Pet stores very seldom have them. The best way is to contact a member of the American Budgerigar Society (I'm a member) because the show breeders always have extra birds to sell. I could help anyone who's interested get in touch with with a local breeder.

I was *pinches fingers* THIS CLOSE to getting one!

I was at a local market where a bird breeder has a booth/stand every week. She had a cage of Budgies from another breeder who wanted to stop their program. One was a handsome male English Budgie. I spotted him from across the aisle/walkway and began to quickly walk over.

At that moment, a boy - maybe eight years old - and his mother reached the cage just before I did. Guess which Budgie he pointed at and asked his mom to buy?

Also, it looked like they were buying a first bird on a whim. The breeder bagged up some cheap seed, and showed them a small cage and other basic items.

I want to believe that the Budgie is happy with them now, the owners have done research and learned a lot, and they have formed a wonderful bond with their feathered family member. But I was so close!

 

[texsize]

Time is the enemy for many of us, isn't it? When you suddenly find yourself over 60 years old when you've been young all your life with all the time in the world, the lifespan of a particular bird is a huge factor to consider, especially when adopting a very young bird. I can't in good conscience adopt any bird that's going to live more than ten or 15 years. An elderly rescue maybe but most of those amazing larger parrots are no longer an option for me even though I'm currently pretty healthy. Even a young cockatiel may outlive me. So I have budgies, the only parrots that I can be pretty sure won't outlive me.

Unfortunately, unlike dogs and cats, parrots are very difficult to find a good new home for when their owner passes and could easily end up not only grieving for their lost human, but in a small cage (all cages are too small), forgotten and neglected. Painful to even think about.

This is a real dilemma. As a teenager or youn adult your life is still a bit of a roller coaster.
It’s frowned on to buy a long lived parrot when you’re younger.
But as age catches up with us the ability to care for a bird that can live 60 years becomes more problematic.

The bird I would like to have as a companion is a bronze wing Pionus.
If I could not get a bronze wing the whit capped would be second choice.

 

[DonnaBudgie]

Where do you live (what State)? I have the list of nationwide breeder contacts. I'll see if any are near you.

 

[AprilRobin]

Where do you live (what State)? I have the list of nationwide breeder contacts. I'll see if any are near you.

I am in South Carolina, although I really shouldn't get another Budgie. That would make 13 Budgies, and 13 is unlucky, so a 14th would be needed!