Parrots:
UnCape Parrot/Grey-headed Parrot
Poicephalus fuscicollis suahelicus
A medium-sized parrot from southeast Africa, from the Poiciphalis family, only rarely found in aviculture. Relatively hard to breed. They make wonderful pets, outgoing, intelligent, friendly and sweet. Can be a little loud. Tend to bond to one family or person unless extensively socialized. Can get along with children under supervision. OFten called "Gentle Giants". Their beaks make them look like they are smiling- too cute! Can be demanding for attention. Can live up to 50 years. Females generally have more pink-red on their heads and wings.
Vasa Parrot (Greater)
Coracopsis vasa vasa
A large African parrot endemic to MAdagascar. Rare in aviculture. One of only a very few black parrots. Relatively easy to breed. One of the most primitive parrots, the females loose their head feathers and the males develop a hemi-penis during the breeding season. Can be noisy. Generally make great pets- loving, gentle, playful and friendly. Can be demanding for attention. Easily frustrated by inadequate attention and/or living space and enrichment (toys). They do not make monogamous bonds in the wild so they are less likely than many African parrots to become "one-person-birds". Can live up to 50 years.
Cockatoos
Bare Eyed Cockatoo (Bare eyed corella, Little corella)
The bare eyed cockatoo is a medium-small aprrot from Austrailia. The genders are alike except in that the females eyes tend to be black, the males red. They are extremely energetic and playful, very outgoing. They are considered the most intelligent of the cockatoos and generally make good talkers. They make rambuncious and friendly pets that just HAVE to know what you are doing. They are a lot like the slenderbilled cockatoo (see below) but are considerably smaller. One of the easier cockatoos to get along with, they are still a 'too and can be loud, destructive, annoying and demanding pets.
Slenderbilled Cockatoo (Slenderbilled Corella)
A medium-large parrot form Australia.Genders are alike, but male's upper mandible (beak) tends to be longer and thinner and his eyes red while the females are black. Rare in avculture. Very playful, outgoing and friendly. Has a droll, goofy personality. Can play with anything- or nothing at all! Very heavy chewers. Hard to breed. Can become aggressive, tend to pluck if not given enough attention or enough to do. Very demanding pets. Often called the most intelligent cockatoo. Can become very good talkers.
Macaws
Red Fronted Macaw
The Red fronted macaw is either the largest of the mini macaws or the smallest of the large macaws. They are about the length of a ruler. Either way you look at it, they are the perfect size for someone who wats a "big macaw" but doesn't have the space. They are found in South America in the wild. These olive and red birds at first look doring and dull, but the fantastic red coloration does not come in until adulthood, cometimes not for four or five years. They are little lovers, enjoying snuggle tiome with their families as much as any cockatoo. They are a little quieter then other macaws with a sweeter call. They are very playful and enjoy interactive play with their owners. They often love to play ontheir backs. They will use the brilliant sherbert-prange under their wing to attract attention and wil even spread their wing over people they like. Red fronted macaws are not great talkers, but they have a penchant for tricks that can be astounding. They are very endangered in the wild.
Hyacinth Macaw
TheHyacinth macaw is a gigantic bird found in small numbers in South America. Itis the largest, and some say the most attractive, parrot in the world. They can reach a meter and a half (four and a half feet) in length. They are a rich cobalt blue with a brilliant gold eye rong and half-moon around their lower mandible. They beak is huge and looks to large for their heads. It is very strong and has been known to break stainless steel welds! Even though they have the bite strength to sheer through a car tire in one bite, they are often called "Gentle Giants" with good reason! THese are the macaws least likely to bite. They are go-with-the-flow kind of birds who love attention, cuddles and play. They are extremely destructive and loud, however. They are very laid back and are one of the calmer macaws. They are very, very endangered in the wild and currently there are more captive animals then there are in the wild. They are wallet-breakingly expensive and their cages need to be huge (four by six feet at least) and made of indestructable materials, and even then have to be replaced usually every few years because of wear. They are the "ultimate" parrot for those pcittacine-addicts for whom the intelligence, beauty and unique personality of this bird outweighs the strength, size, noise, mes and destruction of such a large bird.
