Hawkheaded Parrots

[Kathleen]

Does anyone have any experience with this species? I saw one, once. They are really unique looking with beautiful plumage. What are they like otherwise?

Google Images of Hawkheaded Parrots

[Natacha]

I don't have much experience.

A friend of mine has one. She's very sweet although somewhat shy (but getting better). My friend is trying to prove that they aren't as bad as their reputation states. From what I've seen, they seem nice but again, this is based on small windows of time where these birds are out of the typical environment.

When I went to the Canadian Parrot Conference last year, I had one come on me and snuggle for an hour or so. He didn't know me and I found this rather funny. I think the owners were slightly surprised that it went so willingly to a stranger.

I've also met one in a pet store once. A baby (the other two I've met as "adults"). This one was also very sweet and one of the people working there wanted to buy it.

Here's a picture of that last Hawkhead.

[Kathleen]

What kind of bad reputation do they have though?

[Natacha]

Bad one person birds that attack and bite fairly easy.

Some people say they can get quite easily excited like amazons. Quite frankly, all Hawkheads I've met were much calmer than any amazons I've met.

Not that much is known about them, they aren't quite abundant in aviculture yet, and this might be why there are some misconceptions about them.

[Mona]

My friend Tani had one that she trained for a while. She rehomed her bird.

Her hawkhead was sweet as a baby but I think was very sensitive and startled easily as she matured. Beautiful bird.

[Kathleen]

The first time I saw it, it looked like an ordinary parrot. I wasn't sure what kind it was but I had never heard of hawkheaded parrots before. Then, it got excited and all its feathers around its neck sprung up, it's crown... and I saw that. I was shocked and a bit mystified. Later I went and found out that it was a hawkheaded parrot and I just got curious about the species.

I imagine that this crown is used either as an intimidation technique, to make the bird appear bigger, much like a dog raises its fur, or possibly to show off to a mate, but I'm not sure which it is.

[Michael]

Probably both. If I'm not mistaken, Cockatoos raise their crest whether they are happy or angry. Basically it is triggered by an excitement impulse.

[pchela]

I hand raised a Hawk Head recently and he was adorable. He loved to be held and to ride around on my shoulder. I could swing him and hold him upside down in the palm of my hand. Every time I walked by his cage he said, "Step up? Step up?" I loved that bird. I have heard that as adults they become one person birds and will sometimes attack other members of the family out of jealousy. They also supposedly get extremely hormonal. I can only speak for the baby I raised and he was one of the coolest birds I've met. He had so much personality and spunk. Truly a unique species.

[Harleys_Dad]

I visit one regularly at a local bird store. I think it's the same one but I can't tell. Seems so calm and sweet but you never know.

[Heather]

I saw one on a recent visit to Bird Paradise in New Jersey. I'd seen Hawkheads in books (and thought they were gorgeous), but they are simply stunning in person.

Unfortunately, I don't have any real experience with them, but I just thought I'd throw my two cents in there.