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I have wanted a hawkhead for 5 years and now i have the chance. Good idea?

Orchidkeeper

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A local parrot breeder has recently gotten two amazing hawk-head chicks. She posted that the birds aren't feathered yet so I have the time to make the final decision. I know that they can become aggressive if raised improperly, but I also know that they have potential to be great pets when raised properly. I have had good experiences with this breeder before. We got a sun conure from her and hes wonderful. Everybody in the area also has a high opinion of this bird breeder (she used to be an avian vet). I know hawk heads are aggressive with other birds, but they will be in separate rooms and never in the same place with each other. I am just finishing up my second year of college and have been considering this bird for ages. Does anybody know from experience if this is a good idea?
 

aqualover9

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I would say definitely buy from that breeder since you have experience with them and they have high ratings. I can't tell you any experience though since I've never even had a bird :lol:
 

tka

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It's absolutely essential to listen to their calls. @camelotshadow posted recently about her Penny making high pitched, loud, repetitive sounds for days: Need to VENT! Penny is really doing the loud calls. | Avian Avenue Parrot Forum

I've met a couple of hawkheads through a bird club. They have the potential to be great pets - Spike was happily riding around on people's shoulders. I've heard them described as being high energy, acrobatic and active but like I said, my experience of them is very limited.
 

Mockinbirdiva

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You say she has recently gotten these babies? Did she buy them from someone who breeds them just to turn around and sell them or does she own the pair that produced these babies? Does she do any disease testing or vaccinate her babies? I'm just curious.. If you have the time to devote to more than one bird... but first consider your lifestyle after you graduate.
 

camelotshadow

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Is that a vet in FL? My only concern is your still in college. These birds are not the type you can leave for summer vacations & do you really know where your life is going to be in 5 or 10 years? Dorm, apartment, work 8 hrs a day.

I have no other hawkhead experience but they are high strung & probably males more so. Penny is a doll! Very steady for the most part calm with me.
You shoudl have seen her when I introduced her to her bird sitter. The crest went up & you could tell she was on edge. Now when she first met me she never did that. She laughed & I laughed & we laugh together. I guess I bonded with her even before I saw her. Some calls can be deafening. I mean ringing in the ears. She was dong the bad ones alot but its subsiding. I think when I went away the sitter reinforced it by reacting to that sound as its hard to ignore but you have to. I bought mack earplugs & they work really goos. Today I saw a ear protection headphone for loud work environments or shooting ranges. 22 db. Plexor bullseye 9. They were $5 & retail for alot more so I bought them.
Well now I am prepared! Truthfully its alot better & when she has a rant I put the earplugs in or today I just went out & bought the ear protection.

Only problem is when you are in an apartment you will have everyone thinking there is a fire!

As someone said...you have to try to think 5 or 10 years ahead as these birds can live 50 years. They have not been in captivity that long. Penny was born in 1997. They are hard to breed so they are rarer. They were hard to get in the wild so not many got in the first place. There different much like the Vasa..still its like having an lamborghini on a learners permit. Some of these birds do get unmanageable. They attack. They will attack there own mates. Penny chewed a hole into her stomach when she was very young to get a egg out.

I just saw you have a sun conure so you should be pretty good with alot of noise...LOL which I am not!

I never intended to get a hawkhead. They were always the mysterious unattainable bird for all of the above reasons. Would not get one just to get one but Penny needed a home & for some reason I was smitten. Then I heard the laugh & that was it...I was done! She mealed this cute trill thing too. I know where she is on the floor as she does it. It helps me & her so she does not sneak under my feet. All birds have there own personality. I'm sure your Sun Conure can give you all you need. They seem to really bond when they are socialized well.

Well, Penny is the only hawkhead I have ever met or seen in person.

Claude is a pretty famous one. His owner lives in FL...I play his vids alot...


Good Luck!


 
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camelotshadow

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It's absolutely essential to listen to their calls. @camelotshadow posted recently about her Penny making high pitched, loud, repetitive sounds for days: Need to VENT! Penny is really doing the loud calls. | Avian Avenue Parrot Forum

I've met a couple of hawkheads through a bird club. They have the potential to be great pets - Spike was happily riding around on people's shoulders. I've heard them described as being high energy, acrobatic and active but like I said, my experience of them is very limited.


I wanted a bronze wing!!! Was putting a baby on deposit & I got cancer. So that got put off. Then Penny needed a home so it was do I give Penny a home or maybe wait for a BW in the future & Penny won!
 

Orchidkeeper

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You say she has recently gotten these babies? Did she buy them from someone who breeds them just to turn around and sell them or does she own the pair that produced these babies? Does she do any disease testing or vaccinate her babies? I'm just curious.. If you have the time to devote to more than one bird... but first consider your lifestyle after you graduate.
Not to worry! We know the breeder well. She wouldn't be one to do that. she is making potential owners of the hawkheads submit applications to deem the potential owners worthy.
EDIT: like a bird experience resume. She also goes to the potential homes of these birds and evaluates the safety of their new home. she is top notch because she really does care about the birds.
 

Orchidkeeper

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It would seem I am too late this time. Applications for the birds are streaming in. I know it will take a while for the best candidate to be selected because she is picky about who gets to have her birds. She doesnt want to contribute to the numbers in rescues or being sent from home to home. Maybe next time! I want a medium- large sized parrot and really like fanheads personality, but i am open to other ideas since no truly serious plans have been made yet. Any suggestions for a good mid size companion bird for a person with prior experience? when the time comes, I want to choose the right one.
 

sunnysmom

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Sorry things didn't work out. Are there any rescues near you? I always think the best way to decide on a type of bird is to meet some. I have a goffin- a midsized bird. He's a clown and pretty high energy. Cockatoos aren't for everyone though. But they are highly intelligent birds.
 

Clueless

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It would seem I am too late this time. Applications for the birds are streaming in. I know it will take a while for the best candidate to be selected because she is picky about who gets to have her birds. She doesnt want to contribute to the numbers in rescues or being sent from home to home. Maybe next time! I want a medium- large sized parrot and really like fanheads personality, but i am open to other ideas since no truly serious plans have been made yet. Any suggestions for a good mid size companion bird for a person with prior experience? when the time comes, I want to choose the right one.
Totally smitten with Amazons here......
 

Kodigirl210

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It will always be CAG me up lol. They always look so stately to me (except after a shower.) I love that they can be very playful or very serious but at the same time don’t feel the need to scream the house down over every little thing. The con of course is the dust, they can be neurotic and the length of time they can hold a grudge. :cautious:
 
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