Prefered

[Rue]

I agree with Athena in that I also wouldn't get a 'starter' bird...because most people end up with a bird they're less interested in once the novelty wears off...

In hindsight...get the type of parrot you really want...and you know what that is - you're leaning towards one.

If you weren't doing research, I might suggest differently, but if you're doing your homework and are in it for the long-haul, then go ahead and get the type of parrot you really want.

Again, it might not turn out to be the right decision...but it might end up to be 'more' right than going the safer route.

Part of me wants a macaw. But I was scared I'd find one too big and too much work. In hindsight, if I had gotten a macaw...I might have been satisfied with the one parrot (plus the 'tiels of course)...who knows? Work-wise, it would be the same as what I'm doing now, or even less...

I have no regrets doing what I did...so it would have been more of a lateral decision vs. a better/worse one...

[Nathaniel]

I thank you all, but the question is, if you could have one of those, Which would you choose and Why?

p.s. My favorite would be the red-bellied, I like the coloration of the males and females, they are easy to sex, and they just seem like my kind of bird.

p.s.s. I just finished reading "Parrots for Dummies"

[Rue]

LOL...well, of your short-short list...I'd go for the Red-belly. Why? Because I had placed a hold on a baby way back when.

Then I discovered the Pionus, and decided not to get the Red-belly.

However, they're beautiful birds.

[Nathaniel]

It is a short list, I will change it to any parrot.

[Michael]

Any Parrot? Cape and Senegal. Seriously why are you asking us what we prefer? Everyone's preferences will vary. How does that help you choose? You need to figure out what your criteria and then perhaps ask what parrots would fit those criteria best.

[Nathaniel]

This topic wasn't exactly to find the bird that is right for me. I was just curious to see if anyone had like a ideal parrot that they wished to own. I am activly serching the web every day to find the one for me. If you want to hear my criteria, then yeah, I will gladly share it, but I wanted to hear a little about everyone elses favorites. If you already have your ideal bird then share what you like about it.

I just remembered the phrase "Curiousity Kills", but thats just for cats.

[Red Moppet]

From my standpoint, there are birds out there that I'd like to think would be "ideal" for me or that I would love to share my home with in an ideal world, but when I really sit down and think about my lifestyle etc, those "ideal" birds end up being not so ideal. The more research I do and the more I play with various birds the more I am finding species that are better for me that might not be what I originally had in mind.

Any Parrot? Cape and Senegal. Seriously why are you asking us what we prefer? Everyone's preferences will vary. How does that help you choose? You need to figure out what your criteria and then perhaps ask what parrots would fit those criteria best.

I agree with Michael in terms of figuring out what your own criteria are and then going from there.

Also Nathaniel, in terms of finding out what everyone else's ideal bird is, I think there is already a post somewhere on this forum that discusses this (but I couldn't point you to it offhand). : )

[a.susz]

well in that case i'd love to have a cape, but i dont have the money right now.

id like a hawk head but i cant handle their needyness that is too similar to a cockatoo

id like a macaw (have a few here at work i could take for free) but dont have the financial stability for the food and toys and cage. and the noise problem considering we are not in our own home, someone elses.

[Rrrma]

Well if it is just out of curiosity... if I could have ANY bird, no questions asked, it would be a Hyacinth Macaw lol! But I can't afford one, nor do I have the room for one, and likely I won't ever get one unless one happens across my doorstep.

I personally am a second-hand parront and I like it that way. All of my animals(past and present) are actually rehomes/strays. I always prefer to go the rescue route over anything and I usually bring home a new animal when I feel that special connection and I know they do too.

But if we were talking about what bird I'd chose for my mom, it would be a Quaker, because I think she would do really well with one.

[TheNzJessie]

i love my rainbow lorikeets and they will always be in my life, but i would love to one day own an african parrot. but they are so expensive in new zealand. i loved the senegal at the pet store when i worked there