Parrot Personality “Generalizations”
by Heike Ewing Ott
Is it possible to make generalizations about the personality of different parrot species? Or is each bird a unique individual. Or maybe a little bit of both is true. The following article contains some thoughts on this subject.
No, Quakers are NOT conures, they’re in a class by themselves! They are the only member of their “family,” but are -probably- most closely related to conures.
Conures vary widely in noise factor, temperament, and talking ability. The smaller Pyrhurra conures (green-cheek, maroon-belly, etc.) are much quieter but generally not good talkers. Most of the Aratinga conures ( Sun, Gold-Capped, Jenday, Nanday, Blue- Crown, etc.) are much noisier but more prone to talk fairly well. Even within the Aratinga group, though, ability varies – BC’s are one of the better talkers in the group and generally have good personalities.
Patagonians, however, are a whole different ball game – they are more similar to a cockatoo or small macaw in personality and talk much more clearly than other conures. In my experience, the red-headed or red-marked conures and the Suns/Jendays/etc. tend to be the noisiest, most nippy, and most hyper. This may just be because their pretty colors have led to popularity and overbreeding, though, and I’ve raised one Sun that was a very nice bird, so it just depends.
We can make generalizations about bird species just as we do about dog breeds (Labs are good with kids, Schnauzers are hyper, etc.) but there is always variation in the individual. My schnauzer, for example, is one of the calmer dogs I’ve known and continually amazes people who know Min Schnauzers, and I’m sure there’s a nippy Lab that doesn’t like kids out there somewhere.
I think the best method is to observe and interact with a bird that you’re thinking about buying, and try to get to know that particular bird and its personality without regard to its species if it meets the general parameters you’re looking for. My exp. has been that I *know* when it “clicks” for me and any particular bird. Good Luck, and I hope you find and get the one that “clicks” for you and your family.
Hi
I am thinking about getting a small parrot of some kind and wanted some advice and opinions. I have rescued and raised wild birds but this would be my first parrot. I found a wonderfully calm and intelligent green cheek conure I wanted to buy. I went back to the store and it had been sold 2 hours before I got there! So I started investigating and found there are few breeders (that I could find anyway) here in Port Townsend, Washington. I did find a breeder of Quaker Parakeets though and after hearing him talk, maybe that would be another good candidate. The Green Cheek I was going to buy was quiet (that seems to be characteristic of the species), loved attention and was VERY sociable. I also heard they are not prone to being one person birds.
So far, I have heard different stories on the Quakers. I read that the Quakers are more quiet than the Green Cheeks-except for those that say they are noisier! Which is it? I also heard the Quakers were prone to being “One person” birds. True? Talking would be nice but snuggly and lovable are most important.
Dan
Hello, Dan to answer your question about are quakers noise i would have to say in the morning time when the sun rise they do squak. Usually all they want is food, so what i usually do on weekeneds when they squak is just get up and feed him and her, and usually they stay quite for a couple of hours. If your are looking for a bird that is snuggly and lovable i would go with the blue quaker parrot. The blue quakers are more snuggle and lovable, but they dont talk as much as the green ones. I have a green quaker that is just over a year old and he says 5 different phrases and also he laugh when i laugh and makes a kissing sound when i tell him to give me kisses. Recently i just bought a blue quaker and she is 2 years old and she does not talk at all, but she does love attention.
I am thinking about getting either a green quaker parrot or a green cheek conure. I recently had a cockatiel until it died. I have two small children so I would like to know what bird would be good to have around the children? Our cockatiel was so friendly, hand raised and gentle. The bird allowed my two three year olds to handle it and the bird never nipped at them.
Size wise is the green quaker and green cheek the same? I know green cheeks aren’t very good talkers but could a green cheek pick up on words being around the children? How about a green quaker, will that pick up words faster then a green cheek?
Our next bird doesn’t have to be a talker (that would just be a bonus). I just want to make sure that our next bird will be good around my children. I would be buying a young bird, not one that has already set it’s ways.
We just want a fun family bird. Thank you for your time.
Please e-mail all responses to:
angel_eyes14843@yahoo.com incase I can’t find this website
again.
Thank you!!