New to the Pionus species!

[Latency]

So after some extensive reading(on forums and through various websites) I've completely fallen in love with the Pionus species. Not really a subspecies in specific.
I've recently added a WC Pionus to my flock, and I've noticed on the forums a phrase I see somewhat often is "Anything but a WC!!" I was wondering.. why is that? I read they tend to be the feistiest subspecies, but being somewhat related to amazons I feel like they should all have some wiggle room for being feisty.
From what I can gather, they're the smallest of the 5 subspecies that you find in captivity or as pets. Maybe I got lucky with mine, but he's a complete joy. I believe he is 6 years old, he isn't DNA'd male, just assumed. The day we brought him home he would bow his head and ask to be petted and scratched.
He lets us touch him anywhere(head, wings, tail, feet, etc) and has made no attempt or display to bite. Just the pionus huffing when he first came home if he didn't like something, but nothing since.
Another thing; is the mating behavior. Here in the US it's spring time, so it's mating season for most parrots. My white eared conure will do the behavior/display of both MALE and FEMALE, depending on if she's around the GCC or me. Will pionus males perform female behavior, or vice versa?
Today he(the pionus, named Pascal) began a sort of clucking sound.. just a slow ish bobbing of the head, and sort of rocking. No raised rear, cooing, or wing flicking though. Is that female behavior? Is it possible that he is in fact a he, or is it more likely that he is a SHE?
Sorry if my questions have been answered elsewhere.. I don't mean to repeat things. Don't want to sound like a broken record hah.
Anyways, thanks much!

 

[MyAussieFriends]

Welcome to the forum! I personally think the white crowned is the most beautiful out of all the pionus parrots. I'm not a pionus expert, so hopefully someone who is will chime in.

 

[Latency]

Welcome to the forum! I personally think the white crowned is the most beautiful out of all the pionus parrots. I'm not a pionus expert, so hopefully someone who is will chime in.

Thank you!! I agree, I absolutely LOVE his colors. They have an iridescence to them.
It's so hard to find pictures that to them the justice they deserve, really to see all their colors you'd have to take them outside on a sunny day. Took me a couple days to realize he had purple on his tail!!

 

[MyAussieFriends]

They have such complex colors that seem to shimmer in the light.

 

[Latency]

Mini-update on Pascal; (s)he was on the bottom of the cage last night, which is a first. Chewing on the corner, not sure if he was planning an escape or if it was nesting behaviour, but once I got down to his level to check it out he went back to his main perch. Weirdo.
He also does this thing sometimes when he's on his perch, he'll sort of rock back and forth, moving his weight from one foot then the other. Sort of reminds me when a kid does a 'pee pee' dance. Not sure if that's a normal pionus thing or if he's still just a weirdo.
I saw him doing the head motions like he was going to regurgitate this morning after he had breakfast. He hasn't had anything new, aside from maybe 4 pine nuts last night. Maybe they didn't sit right? My conure threw up a couple times the first time she had almonds. She had a trip to the vet(which was insanely anti climactic.. the guy didn't even know a white eared conure wasn't a color mutation of the green cheek.) but she's fine now. Just an upset tummy. I won't worry too much unless he actually regurgitates something, but it was worth noticing. I just really want to get him DNA'd now, because even though I was told he's a boy his behavior is like that of a girl..
He also has a leg band. It's a closed SS/silver band, reads AI8731. I haven't had any luck decoding it, and there's no breeders in Texas with the initials AI. So I'm at a loss with that.
He mumbled a little this morning while I was still in bed.. I could swear he said 'you're a good boy' the first time he stepped up for me, but hasn't said it since. That might be what he was saying this morning, but I couldn't tell. And of course now that I'm awake he doesn't want to talk anymore..
Still doing the clucking/rocking thing... guess I'll just keep an eye out for any weird behavior.. or eggs.. >.>

 

[Maxsmom]

Welcome! I have a 2 year old wcp. He is spunky and playful. Hanging upside down a lot. He can be aggressive (Napolean complex) with my other pionus but they are buddies. I keep a close eye though. He is velcro 1/2 time with me and independent the rest. He climbs curtains etc.....always hanging upside down and fearless

Generally female pionus are sweeter. Both of my pionus can be nippy but I watch behaviour and rarely experience a nip. Owners if female pionus can be less careful....I dont think they nip too much.

Both my boys talk but my wcp is raspier.

I do not know what female pionus do when hormonal. Male pi have a rougher road with hormones, moody, nesty, chewing anything and everything

Not sure if I answered all your questions. I my pionus. Glad I have males due to personal preferences as egg laying is not something I purposely want to live with.

They are quiet a lot. But my hybrid rescue is known to belt a loud one. They do not need constant attention but like me around. They play for hours on their own.

 

[Maxsmom]

Charlie does same dance with his head low moving his feet side to side. Charlie is my hybrid pi.

Charlie does a turnaround as he walks. He also walks backward. My vet has pi and says pi have a lot of quirks.

 

[Latency]

Thanks for the insight! I'm starting to wonder if I have a female.
Maybe we're just fearless but we can give him scratches, pet him(cup our hand around his entire body) from head to tail, scratch under his wings, mess with his toes, etc.
If he goes to chew on my glasses or my boyfriend's hat, we just put our hands in the way and usually grab his beak(sternly, but not aggressively.) and push him away and tell him "no".
He's never tried to nip at us, he's put his beak around our fingers a couple times but mostly to steady himself while stepping up.
He doesn't play much, he's not very hyper at all. He loves to chat with you though. He'll tell you all about his day(in squawks of course.). The only thing he's taken to chewing is one wooden toy I have in his cage, I think he just likes picking off the bark. Doesn't seem too fond of fleece, but maybe he's just never been around it.
Definitely not keen on pellets.. his previous owner had him on a seed diet because he would throw pellets out of his food bowl. I can't get him to try pellets or veggies, but here pretty soon once he's more settled I'm gonna try a warm mash birdies LOVE warm food!(It's my ekkie's favourite.)
He just loves to be around you. He will be quiet while in his cage, or while he's out sitting on top or on your shoulder. Just an over all quiet, well behaved fellow.
Just doesn't want to try any healthy food...

 

[Maxsmom]

Petting anywhere but the head isnt good. There will be inappropriate hormonal reaction. Male or female you are going to cause a problem.

Check out Good Bird Inc online

It took me over a year to get my rescue to eat veggies. I offered just about everyday in many ways. Keep trying

 

[Latency]

Oh, I understand- even though my conure lets me pet her under her wings, I don't. Especially not this time of year.
We were just more or less testing boundaries. Seeing if there was anywhere he particularly hated being touched, yknow?
Some birds hate having their feet touched, etc. I just like to be aware of their comfort zone. I don't give scratches anywhere that could encourage any bad hormonal reactions.
We plan to harness train him eventually, so it's nice that he doesn't mind us lifting his wings, it'll make it somewhat easier once he's adjusted to being around the harness itself.

 

[Cyreen]

I'm kinda bias, I prefer White Caps. Size is very relative to the bird, my girl being on the large side for a WC Pionus. From the clucking you described you may very well have a female. The following video is of another member's girl, Olive, but is a good example of hormonal behaviors:

As for food, persistence is definitely key. Mayu came to me 12-years-old and I know for a fact she never had vegetables at her previous home of 6 years. She's still not a big pellet eater (some, not a lot), but she does love her veggies.

 

[Maxsmom]

My male makes same noise. DNA sexed twice.

Although I do agree Pascal may be female given how easy going she is. Only one way to find out.....

 

[Latency]

Thanks, Cyreen. That looks almost exactly like what he does. Looks like we need to make a trip to get DNA'd.

 

[Maxsmom]

BTW....I think pionus is a genus and wcp is a species.

 

[wonderb]

I'm kinda bias, I prefer White Caps. Size is very relative to the bird, my girl being on the large side for a WC Pionus. From the clucking you described you may very well have a female. The following video is of another member's girl, Olive, but is a good example of hormonal behaviors:

As for food, persistence is definitely key. Mayu came to me 12-years-old and I know for a fact she never had vegetables at her previous home of 6 years. She's still not a big pellet eater (some, not a lot), but she does love her veggies.

Do we have two female WCPs named Olive?! That's not my Olive.

 

[Cyreen]

Do we have two female WCPs named Olive?! That's not my Olive.

Too funny! I just assumed it was your Olive because her name on the video is indeed Olive. My mistake.

 

[wonderb]

Too funny! I just assumed it was your Olive because her name on the video is indeed Olive. My mistake.

No problem, funny coincidence.