Poicephalus parrots in a nutshell

[annip]

Since I have started reading bird forums I have noticed many things commonly assumed as widely recognized facts about Poicephalus' that are not necessarily what many people take them as. Some things I'm about to write here are facts, while some are just opinions that should be simply seen and valued as opinions, but nonetheless, they are still all definitely worth a thought. And of course, we should all remember that even stated facts don't apply with all individuals among Poicephalus parrots, but should certainly be considered when dealing with one. Many of these things apply mostly to tame birds – wild birds tend to have little less behavioral problems, but these birds should be kept with a pair to meet their demands on social interaction and to provide them with a stimulating life in captivity.

For some reason there seems to be a rather common misunderstanding about Poicephalus parrots being relatively quiet pets. Surely some individuals may not be loud, but as I have seen, heard and experienced life with Poicephalus parrots (including everything from tame and wild single birds to pairs and flocks etc.) I've learned that in most cases these birds are exactly the opposite to quiet: Poicephalus parrots tend to be VERY noisy and have high-pitched voices. Some people just can't live with the vocalizations natural to these birds and the noise levels may also be pretty irritating for your neighbors when living in an apartment setting. You should always consider these matters before getting a Poicephalus.

Some people also tend to think that Poicephalus is a good bird for a beginner or something to buy for a teenager or even a child. Poicephalus' may live for 30 years or more and it’s a fact that should really be taken seriously. Realistically speaking, when you're very young or inexperienced bird owner you are usually considerably less likely to be able to take care of a bird as demanding as Poicephalus in a best possible way for the bird’s entire lifespan despite one’s good intentions. Some people can do it, but unfortunately most can't when there’s any issues with these basic foundations of bird ownership. You should be able to feel confident with your bird as you are building a relationship that means co-existence with the bird in question for 30 years or more to come. Also, you should be willing enough to prepare yourself to change your lifestyle for the bird and to accommodate it’s needs since the bird won’t be able to do this for you. Even after all this, if you are not prepared to deal with the inevitable difficulties and problems you will face with the bird, then maybe Poicephalus isn’t the pet for you after all?

It is also very important to see that Poicephalus parrots need to be taught how to behave. They need to learn manners or they will be awful to cope and live with. Owners need to be able to understand what their Poicephalus means when its doing this or that. You need to learn to read your bird’s behavior and to communicate with it. Poicephalus parrots will test you and most likely they will attempt to do it often – like a child that never grows up – you just have to be consistent with the set rules, routines and training.

All parrots also need to have company, love, food, water, toys, misting and everything else that is necessary for a bird’s well-being. These things are something you have to provide the bird with very single day, and for as long as they live. Even if that’s something we all most likely already knew about, it’s something to really pay attention to when considering your own daily life in a long-term perspective.

Poicephalus parrots have bold characters that tends to lead to some problems when dealing with other bird species or actually any other animals. It’s basically compulsory to offer these birds a lot of space when even considering to mix them with other pets, and it seems that even after thorough planning, great care and despite providing the ideal setting for the introduction, it'll often be an idea destined to fail from the beginning. You have to be able to tell when a bird may be a potential threat to others and for maximized security keep your Poicephalus separated from any other animals – especially when left unsupervised.

Many people haven’t been able to realize that handfed Poicephalus' tend to have more behavioral problems than their parent-reared counterparts and that these birds develop them more easily as well. When purchasing a bird it is heavily recommended to consider getting a young bird that has been raised by and in the direct company of its own parents. A parent-raised bird will become tame in a reasonably short time if you take things slowly and put effort in to earning the bird’s trust and developing your relationship with the bird. It shouldn't be too much of a trouble for a dedicated owner to tame a bird in a year or two, or is it really? You will still have many, many years to spend with your pet after the initial taming period, and you and your bird will be less likely to have to deal several types of behavioral problems since the bird has been able to develop a healthy identity as a member of it’s own species, in addition to being gently socialized to life with people in a household environment. Additional benefit to parent-rearing parrots is that these birds can also be more easily paired with other birds etc.

Wing-clipping is yet another controversial subject when it comes to keeping pet birds, but in my personal opinion Poicephalus parrots need to be able to fly. They will feel more secure and are still easily tamed and controlled by their owners. Only a bird with exceptionally severe behavioral problems may need clipping, and this can only be recommended if it seems to be the last option left. Poicephalus parrots love to fly and they are very skilled flyers. Of course owners must be ready to secure the doors and windows and ensure that the room is safe for your bird. Wing-clipping is not the answer for keeping your bird from escaping, because Poicephalus parrots can easily fly with clipped wings. When taking you bird outside you should always keep them in a harness or a cage.

It is very useful to read about Poicephalus parrots in the wild to understand them better in captivity. You also need to know what it would be like to live with a Poicephalus before buying one. It is necessary to refresh your knowledge on parrots all the time, as researchers keep on learning more and more about these fantastic birds, new discoveries are made, new information becomes available and how we view things change. If you are not willing to do some studying on these matters yourself and lack the interest to acquire in-depth knowledge on your future pet of several decades, would you really be willing to take care of a Poicephalus after all?

Something to think about.

-Anni-
Special thanks to Ansu for editing, views and inspiration. :)

[cbalvino]

nice article,well written and informative thanks

[Xavier]

Very well written article, and I agree with most of it. Just remember though, that everybody is an individual, and stereotyping all children as irresponsible pet owners is a bit harsh. I own 6 parrots, 3 of which are mine- all poicephalus. I do agree that MOST children do not have what it takes to take care of a bird, but please take into consideration that not all kids or teenagers are the same.

All in all I think you did a very good job with that article.

[annip]

Originally Posted by Xavier

Very well written article, and I agree with most of it. Just remember though, that everybody is an individual, and stereotyping all children as irresponsible pet owners is a bit harsh. I own 6 parrots, 3 of which are mine- all poicephalus. I do agree that MOST children do not have what it takes to take care of a bird, but please take into consideration that not all kids or teenagers are the same.

All in all I think you did a very good job with that article.

Don't worry, I am only 17 years old too, so I didn't mean every teenager or child. Still I have seen too many very irresponsible teenagers so thats why I said so. Most are not able to keep a bird for that many years. I also said it because poicephalus parrots are not as easy as most of us think. Some teenagers can be very smart and responsible, as some adults aren't. People are individuals just as birds are. :)

[mynaughtybird]

I will have to agree with most everything except the noise. The only time my Sennnies are noisy are in the morning when they first wake up. But I think any kind of bird has a short time period of noisiness, it's just natural. I don't find them to be noisy birds, not as much as cockatoos or macaws. But they do, like you said, have a very shrill call most times. Some people can't handle that type of noise.

Very well written!! Good job!!

[jimpierce7]

Well I guess my Zoey is a wierdo. But of course I figured as much since she is my bird. She isn't all that noisy. I live in an apartment and have no problems at all. My lovebird is the noisy one. Sadly the rest of my familly didn't pay attention to her daily when she was real young so I am her "human". She was my first bird and very easy from the beginnig. Zoey is my only fully flighted bird. I could through her off a cliff and she would drop like a rock. She will not fly. Her wings are only used as brakes in the event she falls off of the play gym.
I really like the article though. It is very informative and to the point. I like that.

[Sashagirl]

Well my Sydney the senegal is not that noisy compared to my other birds.
BTW s/h is in the birdroom with my 4 Macaws and 1 Cockatiel.At one time s/h was my only bird after my other FIDS were stolen 3 years ago.I use to have to go in the room s/h was kept to make sure s/h was okay because s/h hardly makes any noise.I moved almost 2 years ago and s/h kept making Cockatiel noises so my friend gave me a female Cockatiel though they are not housed together they make their noises back and forward to each other and Sydney says s/h name in the senegal voice.

[Wiggi]

I totally agree with everything you wrote! Of course each bird has its own personality, but I think your article quite much summarize the "normal" Senegal parrot.

[Pepper's Pa]

The original poster does give a good overview of Senegal Parrots.
When it comes to noise, it's always a subjective opinion. In general, the sounds Pepper makes are lower volume and gentle. When he lets out a shriek or loud whistle to make a point, such as with his contact call, it's one of those grating, "fingernails scraping down a blackboard" type sounds.
On the other hand, every afternoon I usually place Pepper in his cage for a few hours. Usually, somewhere around 3:00pm, he'll be in full play mode with his toys. He'll be going through nearly his entire repertoire of sounds at about 3/4 full volume and I simply love it. It reminds me of a group of young children who are outside, playing, yelling and loving every moment of life. I'm usually in a nearby room and I'll say something loud such as "Wow, you're having a great time playing" and he'll bang another toy and make an even louder sound in reply. I love it.

[jimpierce7]

Zoey picked up her loud call while on a visit to the pet store to get her nails clipped. She mimics a Severe Macaw.