Need help from bird people!

I've been thinking about getting a pet bird in the future. I have a very personable budgie when I was younger, and I would love to have another one. But I need help picking one! While I know a decent amount about bird care, I don't know much about the different species and their personalities.

Here's what I'm looking for:
-Bigger than a budgie. Doesn't have to be huge, but something a bit more substantial and less delicate. I'd prefer something in the medium-size range, but am willing to go larger or smaller.
-Engaging personality. I'm looking for a bird that would be willing to interact with a variety of people. Not necessarily a "one-person" bird. Talking also isn't important to me. It would be fun to have a talking bird, but I value personality over talking ability.
-Not overly noisy. It's a bird, I know they make noise. But I'd like a bird that isn't screeching at the top of its lungs every time I turn around.

So is there a bird out there that would be good for me? Or is this criteria unrealistic? If so, I may put the idea on hold.

We have a cockatiel.

He is a very endearing and happy go lucky little fellow. He actually tends to be pretty quiet unless you are interacting with him and then he can be a little chatterbox.

I was also going to suggest cockatiel. And make sure its from a good breeder, and preferably hand raised. I worked at PetSmart and those pet store cockatiels (And their birds in general) are not hand tamed..and not friendly at all!! But I have met a hand raised cockatiel and they are very nice, and funny!!

well ive been looking into birds for a friend of mine.

look into senegals, jardines and meyers.
they CAN talk (kinda squeeky not perfect but can) tend to be VERY quiet for parrots, a good small-medium parrot, generally social and outgoing, and love to play like conures

everything ive been reading about them seems like they might be the prefect bird for many families...there not exactly the flashiest of parrots but there cute and their personality seems to rock!

my frined currently narrowed down between a senegal, jardines, meyers and Hahns macaw.
Hahns are cool too!

Thanks for the advice, all. I was considering a cockatiel, but I think I'd like to try something a little more parrot-y, if you know what I mean.

So far, the Meyers are what really jumps out and grabs me! Cute little guys! And their personality sounds exactly like what I'm looking for. Foxy, can you point me to some good Web sites for parrot research?

Heya Gemp,

I dont have any internet links but if you are looking for some good book/ magazine recomendations my all time favourite- recomend for anyoone looking to get a parrot or parrolet is "The Guide to a Well Behaved Parrot" completely escapes me as to who the author is right now but it's a fantastic book. Next I would recomend the Foraging DVD again terribly sorry that the author is escaping my thought.

Lastly BirdTalk is a great magazine featuring behaviour, enrichment, nutrition and training advice every addition.

I have a four year old Sennie, and as they are from the same family I can vouche for their great little personalities. Mine loves to play, but I find she looses interest in toys quickly, so I do a lot of toy rotation. They may be quite compared to other parrots but mine and a few others I know of are notorous morning screamers. Mine didnt start until she reached sexual maturity but I have to say I no longer use an alarm clock as theres no way I could sleep threw her screaming.

Clicker training is great with all parrots and is a great way to start teaching targetting to move them in and out of there cages, step ups, accepting handling and training to take food from a syringe ( incase you ever need to medicate).

Cheers
Kayla

Hi Gempress I own a senegal parrot 2 cockatiels and 3 budgies but i dont think any of them would be the right fit for you from what you described an all around family bird that would not be to noisy would be any kind of Conure.

Sisco- I respect your opinion very much but some people would argue that conures can be loud, perhaps leaning towards a green cheek conure or smaller species would be better, blue crowns, and sun conures in particular are not what I would define as quiet.

conures are in no way shape or form QUIET...infact, conures are renowned for their voice!
even the quieter species like greencheeks have bouts of screeching,
a greencheek would probbaly be the only conure id say remotly would work for this kind of situation, and they are wonderfull birds, but a meyers definatly seems like it would be the best fit

sry gemp working on the links, my comp decided to eat all my favorites!

THE kept the conures downstairs where i worked for two reasons. THey carried a disease and they were noisy.