About the Hawk Headed Parrot.

[HEXN3T]

I'm looking for a (difficult) first parrot, which probably sounds strange.

There are a couple of reasons, partially because I like challenges, partially because I know I'd be able to succeed, and mostly because overcoming challenge makes me feel good about myself and is pretty uplifting. I've been reading about parrots since mid June of this year, and about many, many different species. Obviously, it wasn't easy, and it was definitely time consuming, but I'm really trying to get close to a 100% success chance with 100% difficulty.

Right now, I'm stuck between the choice of three parrots because I am missing information on one of them; the Hawk Headed Parrot.

So here are my three options that I've currently got:

1. The Sun Conure. Most reading available, most obtainable, cheapest, but pretty loud. My parents probably wouldn't enjoy that, but I'd be fine with it. It looks like a pretty good option, and seems to have a manageable difficulty. They'll also give me a good chuckle. An interesting thing about this one is that their flashy colour will make them much more visible. I've missed objects before, and there isn't anything in my house that looks like a Sun Conure.
2. The Caique. Plenty of reading available, pretty obtainable, mid range price, and seems like the best option for my three person family right now. I've had my ear chewed by one of these guys before. It looks to be pretty trainable, flight shouldn't be super annoying as it seems to like walking, and it isn't usually loud. I heard that they can be feisty and they like to steal, though, so I'd probably have to trade my stolen AirPod for a treat. Like the Sun Conure, it is very visible.
3. The Hawk Headed Parrot. By what I could find, the Hawk Headed Parrot looks like a super good option, but I can't be confident as there just isn't enough information about it. If it's what I'm expecting, it may be a better option than the Caique for a few specific reasons. I'm looking to get a Hyacinth Macaw in about a decade, so this will definitely be able to set me up for that. Available reading shows that they're nippy, pretty territorial later on, and have very expressive body language (this will be VERY helpful). The reading I have found seems to make this out to be a great choice, but I need a few things cleared up. I'll be back on this.

I should explain my living environment before I make anyone do anything, as I want to make sure I could even provide a home for one.

I have a house with enough space to fit a medium to large size parrot. I have a pretty good idea of what kind of income I'll be able to manage. I have local stores with plenty of extremely healthy and affordable food options (I'm looking to put the parrot I get on an extremely healthy all-natural diet), and I'm also super comfortable with parrots in general. I've had cockatoos jump on me, a hyacinth macaw on my shoulder (at my visit to Parrot Mountain, his name was Rio and I got used to him in 20 seconds), I've been swarmed by Lorikeets (again, Parrot Mountain), I've had my fingers chewed on by Conures for about half an hour, and I have read a lot about a wide variety of parrot species. I have enough information about so many other parrots that I might be able to compare the missing information about the Hawk Headed Parrot with already known information about other parrots. I'd say that I'm decently flexible, so I could possibly make up a training process as I go. More importantly, I have about 8 hours daily that I can dedicate all to a parrot. Most importantly, I actually want a parrot and have all the means to care for it. I live in Kentucky, it's decently warm outside of the winter. I also have a dog, but I can supervise my dog and the parrot during their limited contact, and separate them otherwise.

The reason why I'm not able to jump to Caiques immediately is because I'd like to teach people about the Hawk Headed Parrot after I've studied one for a really long time. The Hawk Headed Parrot is an absolute interest. I'd be able to record videos and produce some content that just doesn't exist right now. I've just started a YouTube channel about animals and nature, and I have a passion for photography and film, and love documentaries. This would make an interesting long term project.

Now is where I ask for help. If you personally own a Hawk Headed Parrot and you have happened across this post, please help out and give a decent overview of what I could expect. I've read a handful of articles already, so I'm also looking for a purchasable book. I have the Parrot Wizard's guide, and it explains that I should get a training/ownership guide for the parrot I'm getting, so I would like a few recommendations if any even exist. Anyone, if you have some way you could help or could point in a good direction, that would be awesome. Thank you in advance!

[Pajarita]

Hi, HEX, welcome to the forum. I am sorry but I can't help you. I've never had a Hawkhead and I've known the sum total of one single person who had one in all the years that I've been 'into parrots' (28 and counting). It was a woman on a forum a long time ago and I don't even know where she had gotten him (no rescue I know or have known ever had one and I've never heard of any breeder that produces them, either). These are very rare in aviculture -and, I would assume, VERY expensive- because of their high level of aggression even when handfed and raised with love. I know you said that you had conures chewing on your fingers, big macaw on your shoulder, etc but I seriously doubt you have an idea of what an aggressive, large, powerful bird can do to a human. I have some experience with aggressive birds and let me tell you that it's no joke! I am talking big holes in my head with blood streaming down my face to the point of blinding me, I am talking fingers that lost all feeling for 2 years, I am talking scars on my arms, hands, legs and feet, I am talking ears that have notches missing and bumps from excess scar tissue... And this was caused by birds belonging to species commonly kept as pets and which are not considered super aggressive! So, if I were you, I would not be so confident that I can manage a bird that will, without the shadow of a doubt, be super aggressive because, in reality, it's not even only you, it's anybody who lives with you (parents, significant other, children, room-mates, etc) or has any type of relationship with you for the next 50 years.

Now, just one more thing. Caiques can be very noisy. They tend to make this loud repetitive one note call over and over and over when they are bored or they want to come out of their cage that can drive you up the wall (my Javi Caique does it every now and then). And they are very good fliers - and noisy ones, too! My Epuish Caique zooms around like a little plane because they have short wings and when they fly, they need to move them real fast so they end up making a very special BRRRRRRR noise (doesn't bother me, though - they sound the same as when lovebirds fly only on steroids). And they can be quite cantakerous, too! Javi is a pain in the neck who is always going after anybody or anything that invades his turf - he takes on kittens, cats, little and big dogs, people... size is not a problem to him, he takes them all on He can't fly very well because he was clipped when a baby and juvenile so, although he can now fly, it's not something he chooses to do very often so the floor is his domain - and the whole living room and dining room belong to him and nobody else. But his favorite spot is near the door, hiding under an end table so he can ambush anybody who dares to come in. Epuish is better but he can be a little stinker, too. As a matter of fact, I got a bite on my left hand index this morning because I was having a 'love session' with Javi and Epuish did not like it so he flew over and bit me. I don't think he was actually trying to bite me but he still did.

Last but not least -and I don't mean to pop your balloon or make you feel bad- if by success you mean keeping a parrot healthy and happy all its life, you will NOT succeed. This is not personal, mind you! When it comes to parrots, their physical and emotional needs and their longevity, nobody does. Not me, not Michael, not anybody. The ONLY way a parrot is happy and perfectly healthy is when it lives in its natural habitat surrounded by its flock. We can't do it for them no matter how hard we try. Anybody who says they can is either lying, does not know enough about parrots or had the parrot for a few years only.