Differences among pionus species

[Sue2014]

Hello . I am trying to find out more about these unique birds, and was wondering if anyone could tell me about the personality differences among the different Pionus species. I have heard that the white-capped are the most feisty, but other than that, people I talk to mostly just know about their looks. I think they all are beautiful, so I don't really care about that, but I would like to know if there are any that tend to be more gentle. I recently lost my ornery, cantankerous African Grey to cancer, and while I loved him and we had a special relationship, I would like a parrot that is more easy going this time around. Thank you for any information you can give me.

 

[expressmailtome]

Bump.

 

[Davi]

I don't really know much at all about Pionuses, but just wanted to say that I'm sorry about your loss. Hopefully others will chime in to help out with info on Pionuses!

 

[tka]

First of all, I'm so sorry to hear about the loss of your companion. It sounds like he was a very special chap.

Re: Pionus species differences... It's hard to say as it depends so much on sex and how they were raised. @Fuzzy's Blue-Headed Kobe is definitely not gentle and quiet, and I suspect that's a lot more due to his sex than due to his species. Likewise, @Dartman will be able to tell you about his Maxis and their very different temperaments and personalities.

I have a 2 and a half year old female Bronze-winged who was co-parented and she, for the most part, is very chilled out (by parrot standards at least! she's still happy to have a bit of a shout and to chew up stuff). However, it's hard to say whether this is because she's a Bronze-winged, because she's a hen, because she's young, because she spent a lot of time with other BWs until she was 9 months old, because we spent a lot of time learning how to communicate with each other... I haven't been bitten yet and she's very good about telegraphing her moods so I can respond appropriately. It is very, very easy to tell when a well-socialised Pi is angry or upset about something: they will definitely let you know! Unless they've experienced humans ignoring their increasingly obvious signs to back off, they'll give you escalating warnings before going for the bite.

Last year was pretty rough on her hormones-wise. Pionus do seem to be susceptible to hormone-related feather destruction and aggression, so that's something to keep in mind.

 

[Dartman]

Ive had 4 now, Nerd and his brother Ferd, Lurch, and Dobby. Nerd was with me 31 years, his brother got sick and died very suddenly a few years in and this was in the late 70's when they were new to the pet trade and nobody knew anything about them. Nerd left me in 09 and I found Lurch, he escaped a few years ago and I was given Dobby, all Maximilian Pionus. Nerd I assumed was male, he was very shy but I was his world and he loved and trusted me. He wouldn't bite unless hurt or scared, he loved just hanging out with me and observing, getting scritches, and treats. He had games he liked to play, had a wicked loud flock call, and spoke wild Pionus and I spoke it back, we understood each other perfectly, he never talked. Lurch was a very mad at the world boy who lost his old man owner. He would bite first, no warning at all as I think his leftover family treated him baldy and hit him. He took 5 years to slowly trust and love me but he got there. He also was loud and aggressive and never stopped completely biting when he felt the need. He also loved me in his own way and would fly after me like a feathered puppy when I left the room and he was happy finally. Dobby is the most social gentle Maxi I have ever known, he also is always into mischief and loves to eat and chew anything he can get his beak on. Momazon and her daughter raised him and they did a great job, he refuses to bite and will always step up when asked, even if he doesn't want to. Lurch talked pretty well for a Maxi and was picking up new words as we went along, Dobby talks a bit but really loves whistles and sound affects.
Nerds vocalizations were slightly different then any other Maxi I've know as pretty sure the two of them were wild caught so he learned from his parents and flock the proper Pionus language. He had a lot of cool vocalizations that meant certain things, he had a name for himself and a name for me and he knew his name was Nerd. Dobby will proudly announce he's DOBBY! in my voice and has other variations he loves to say. Lurch had all kinds of phrases already and learned more from me, and sometimes he seemed to use them properly. I never cared if they talked but it's a cool bonus if they do and sometimes they sound like drunken pirates, sometimes they can be very clear.

 

[Fuzzy]

So sorry you lost your Grey to cancer.

Re Pionus: For every trait that is said to be absolutely true of a specific species it is also absolutely false. Nobody can agree because it is too subjective – as Russ Shade, one of the current leading experts on Pionus, says, "what we concluded after years of observation is that there do not appear to be any consistently appearing species-specific behaviours in captive Pionus, with the possible exception of White-capped", and I would add Dusky.

Roger Sweeney (Curator at Loro Parque 1994 -1998) describes the pet Pionus as similar in personality to the pet Amazon but "more consistent and less aggressive". I don't know that I would agree with Roger Sweeney. I have three different Amazons - they are all much less complicated than Kobe, my Blue-headed Pionus. Like most parrots, Pionus still have their aggressive moments to a greater or lesser degree, especially when hormonal.

White-capped and Dusky have a reputation of being headstrong or feisty – particularly adult males. Female Pionus are usually more gentle, but this doesn't mean that males don't also make excellent pets. It depends on what you are looking for in a companion. It is also important to remember that each bird is an individual - I also know some fiesty females and extremely gentle males.

 

[Sue2014]

Thank you for all the information!!
I have to say I'm surprised to hear about the Dusky being headstrong and feisty. I thought they were supposed to be the gentlest? Of course it is risky to make any generalizations, but still... I have heard that about the white capped, though.
Thanks again

 

[nightfly]

Sorry about your Gray. Mine is 29, and I'd miss him terribly if anything happened to him. That said, I've had two white capped pionus as well, and both have been pretty laid back and relatively quiet birds. MY current one, Max, is a male and learned how to talk a bit; at the age of 26, he just started to whistle for the first time, and has learned a couple of whistles from my gray. Interestingly enough, the gray and the pionus say different things. While the gray also knows everything the pionus does, he just doesn't say them often. I guess each has their favorite things to say. Both know what pizza is, and when the man with the big white box comes up to the house, it isn't unusual to hear one or the other to say, 'pizza pizza' like the little ceaser's commercial, as I used to do that intentionally to get them to associate the pizza delivery man with that phrase. I don't remember how long it took for them to learn that, though; probably a few years. But they both love pizza.

FWIW, my CAG is extremely well behaved, talks up a storm, and quite gentle. He will get antsy after about 2 hours on my shoulder if I'm not actively playing with him, and climb down and walk back to his cage to eat and play for a while, while Max (WCP) will sit with me all day long. So it really all comes down to each individual bird, just like humans. We did get both birds from bird specific stores, right after they were weaned, and as baby birds they spend a whole lot of arm and shoulder time with several people. So maybe that has something to do with it.
I can't recommend a breeder for WCP; both came from bird stores that have been out of business for quite some time.

 

[hedylarue]

My Pi is very moody! He has good days and bad. On his bad days he usually just wants to be left alone and, as long as I respect that, I can avoid getting bit. We did adopt him at age 10 so, for sure, there is some trauma with losing his first family. When he's in a good mood he is a delight! He's not cuddly but he makes cute noises and loves to hang out and get a head scratch.

 

[MyPiOwnsUs]

I'm so, so sorry for your loss.

My response is a little late, but have you considered contacting a rescue to see if they have any easy going birds, regardless of breed? I have an adopted WCP, and while she's pretty easy going, she's also very hands off, so if I'd been looking specifically for, say, a "cuddly" bird, I'd have been sorely disappointed if the rescue hadn't alerted me to that fact (which is totally fine; she's perfect, regardless). With a reputable rescue, they will have witnessed the personality of their birds and might know a good fit for you, whether it's a Pi or not. With a baby bird, you just never know what they're going to grow up to be, personality wise.

 

[jh81]

I think @Eloy could add to this?

The baby thing is indeed something to keep in mind!
Baby parrots can change into a completely different attitude once they grow into adulthood.
Buying a rescue at least assures you they are adult, and you most likely get the bird you want in regards to its attitude?