BECOMING A FLOCK - Opinions WANTED

[Barb E]

We currently have a 3 year old Meyers that is flighted and quite bossy at times.

My husband and I have been considering adding a 2nd bird and would really appreciate opinions on what you think would be the easiest species to mix with a Meyers.
I don't want a 2nd Meyers - this could lead to unwanted breeding.... and actually any of the poicephalus genus would give me concern in this.

My "dream" bird is one of the bigger Macaws but my husband isn't there yet. We have cared for 2 CAG's in the past and so there's a comfort level with them.
What do you all think.....????

Barb :)

[LivingFiction]

If you are "there" on the Macaw, consider looking into it. Getting a macaw from a reputable breeder can take months, and it doesn't take long for them to grow on a person. As long as one of you is able to handle the beak, I wouldn't give up on it. IMHO it's better to wait and get what you really want, then to fill your house with a ton of birds just working up the courage.

[Freedomoflight]

What about a mini macaw? They are sooo cute, "pocket macaws" I call them, the perfect size for someone who doesnt have the space for a large macaw and who doesnt want all the noise of a large macaw.

[LissaKokoKiwiKaseySam]

Mini macaws are great- however, Kasey my Hahns, rivals Koko the Harlequin for amount of noise made in one given day!!!! There are times when he just won't stop!!

[The Outlaw]

I would simply say this: if its a macaw your heart desires, then simply go meet some. Getting other birds but wishing that you'd gotten a macaw usually results in a smaller bird getting rehomed. I have 4 BG macaws and one mini macaw (Severe). I think the BGs are easier to live with and more user friendly, but my Severe is pretty darn special. He's extremely social, not too nippy and a natural born performer. However, they are cursed with the most irritating screech of any macaw I've ever heard.

If you decide that you'd rather look at larger macaws, then I highly recommend either the Blue and Golds or the Greenwings. Both are wonderful, however the BGs don't require the heavy duty cages and toys that the GWs do. They are really more of a medium sized macaw. In fact, if I were the one who decided how to classify macaws, my list would look something like this:

Minis: Hahns, Nobles, Illigers, Yellow Collars

Medium: Severes, Redfronts, Canindes, Military's, Blue and Golds

Large: Scarlets, Greenwings, Buffons, Hy's

Most of the hybrids would fall under the Large macaws

Some BGs are quite large and would likely be more like large macaws and some scarlets are smaller and would likely be more like medium sized macaws.

However, since there IS no medium macaw classification, its not even an issue.

As a rule, the larger the macaw, the more gentle the macaw. The exception to that would be the scarlets who can be very sweet or quite nippy and ornery. These are VERY general statements and of course each bird has to be weighed on their own merits.

Just recently Jeth got her first BG macaw. She and her husband have had a Congo grey for years that she wasn't really able to interact with much. And, because of the bites she'd so often suffered from the grey, the BG beak looked huge and imposing. However, I KNOW she'll tell you that Dazzle (the BG) is MUCH more gentle with her and far less likely to nip.