HH Behavior

[lovebhm]

When considering a new parrot to add to my family, I always scrolled past the Hawkhead Parrot. Well currently, I am in that phase where I find these (along with eclectus and macaws) quite beautiful. I took some bird quiz, and a Hawkhead Parrot gave me 93%!! Pretty Good!

Well, I have been to SO many websites, but one in particular: Wikipedia. I know it isn't the most informative sight, but a good source, but when looking at their behavioy, Wikipedia stated a HH acts "Whilst juvenile birds tend to be docile, adults can be particularly ill-tempered, stubborn, unpredictable and strong-willed birds, showing extreme aggression towards humans and other birds housed with them (including others of their own species and/or their own mates), particularly when in breeding condition."

Now with your personal HH, does your HH act like this??

 

[Crazy Bird Lady]

I would say, yes, yes and yes to what is listed. While I dont think you would expect them to exhibit all these things all the time. I find the agression to humans (strangers) with mine. She loves me, my husband and daughter, everyone else she considers an intruder. I just dont let her have free flight if we have company. Zoey has been pretty acceptable of new birds and pets. This may be because I have fostered birds and she has seen a lot come and go so she is used to it. There is something very special about these birds that is hard to even put into words but they are not for everyone. For me getting Zoey was the best decision I ever made.

 

[waterfaller1]

Oh yeah...she's just awful...

 

[KaribaCalico]

Oh yeah...she's just awful...

Is Cochise like that too?

 

[waterfaller1]

Is Cochise like that too?

No, but he is sweet in his own ways. He had a very questionable past though. I did not raise either one, I got them both as rehomes. Cochise in 09', and Yuna last year. Yuna is two, and Cochise is 18 this year. Cochise loves scritches, he just does not like being touched on his body unless he initiates the mood. He will put a firm beak on me if he wants to say no, but he does not bite. It did take me over a year of patience to work with him though. He shares a room every day with Holly, my redfronted macaw. They look out after each other, and especially he after her. They do communicate, and sit near each other. They do not preen or cuddle.

 

[waterfaller1]

I have been told, that "the aggression towards their own kind" comes in usually when a person gets a second pair. And then there is the factor that in the wild as adults they are solitary, so perhaps people are making a mistake by keeping them together constantly if they are breeding. I will say they are very alert, very wary of their surroundings. They can spot a tiny bug on the ceiling, or anything outside worthy of it gets an alert call. I do believe they are quite different than most parrots, so in turn they must be handled that way. This is a parrot you definitely want to allow to come to you. You don't go chasing them around, or forcing them to do anything. And yeah, Cochise is pretty wary of strangers. But Yuna is a complete opposite. When she was last groomed it was for a little overgrowth of her beak. And this is with practical strangers mind you. She was closing her eyes as if she enjoyed it. And afterwards she got all silly and friendly and vocal. She is a bird....for sure.
Denise{magni] has a male HH and also a redfronted macaw. She introduced the young macaw to the older male HH, and they are inseparable, preening and loving on each other. It just goes to show that each bird is individually different.

 

[KaribaCalico]

No, but he is sweet in his own ways. He had a very questionable past though. I did not raise either one, I got them both as rehomes. Cochise in 09', and Yuna last year. Yuna is two, and Cochise is 18 this year. Cochise loves scritches, he just does not like being touched on his body unless he initiates the mood. He will put a firm beak on me if he wants to say no, but he does not bite. It did take me over a year of patience to work with him though. He shares a room every day with Holly, my redfronted macaw. They look out after each other, and especially he after her. They do communicate, and sit near each other. They do not preen or cuddle.

I think we need some Cochise (and Holly) pictures.


I met a Hawkhead a few months ago and he was a little nippy but very sweet. He would step up and run to my shoulder to play with my hair. I think he was still young though so not sure how they are as adults.

 

[lovebhm]

Thanks for everyones opinion! And if you know of anybody who has an AA and has an HH, PLEASE tell them to come and share their personal experience!!!

And Carole, Yuna has to be given the award for the "CUTEST PARROT OF THE YEAR" AWARD! She is so adorable! Oh, and if you want, please post some of your cages! I would also love to see Yuna's cage!

 

[waterfaller1]

Here you go. Keep in mind Yuna is handicapped. Well I say that, but it really does not slow her down at all. She only has one foot.

It used to be Cochise's. Now he has this cage

 

[lovebhm]

^ Carole, these are wonderful cages!! I love them! But what kind of cages does eeach Yuna and Cochise have??
Thanls

 

[waterfaller1]

Yuna's cage is an older King's cage. I got it from someone who was throwing it out, but had it re-powder coated.You would find this style in the European section, here~
Bird Cage, Java Wood Perch, Avian Supplies, Pluck No More, Bird Food
However it would not be as heavy duty. They are made lighter these days. I assume due to shipping costs.


Cochise's cage is an A&E Xlarge corner cage. I got it from Kathie at MSBS, but she just recently stopped selling them. There are many other vendors out there who do carry them though.
CC4242 Platinum

 

[GiGi Bird]

When considering a new parrot to add to my family, I always scrolled past the Hawkhead Parrot. Well currently, I am in that phase where I find these (along with eclectus and macaws) quite beautiful. I took some bird quiz, and a Hawkhead Parrot gave me 93%!! Pretty Good!

Well, I have been to SO many websites, but one in particular: Wikipedia. I know it isn't the most informative sight, but a good source, but when looking at their behavioy, Wikipedia stated a HH acts "Whilst juvenile birds tend to be docile, adults can be particularly ill-tempered, stubborn, unpredictable and strong-willed birds, showing extreme aggression towards humans and other birds housed with them (including others of their own species and/or their own mates), particularly when in breeding condition."

Now with your personal HH, does your HH act like this??

Our GiGi bird is very loving. She used to love me but I was separated from her and my husband for several months and she still has not forgiven me. I can see she wants to, when she's snuggleing with my husband she will walk to the arm closest to me and look at me with so much love I'm tempted but still afraid to trust her. She prefers male humans but is pretty nice to strangers. Crowds are stressful. I know the say that aren't easily handles but GiGi is a snuggler. Also she gets along with the dog we brought into the house a few months ago. It was scarey at first but the dog is protective of her and she has not shown any aggression towards the dog. Even when her butt is being sniffed.

 

[ParrotHead]

I feel that the description is very accurate for my hawkie. He's an absolute doll--- on his terms. Cuddly, friendly, funny, chatty, and loves to be with his person. He can also be very very nasty to the rest of my flock mates and humans when he wants to be. I think its mostly hormones, as when he is feeling nasty, it usually lasts for about 2 months, and then he's back to his sweet self.

 

[Thugluvgrl187]

Oh yeah...she's just awful...

That video was adorable!!

 

[waterfaller1]

Thank you Miriam. Yuna is in the top few most personable birds I have ever known. She is a sweetheart.

 

[hawkygal]

Our HH has just turned 4 recently. He is wonderful! They are full of life. They do everything at top speed hee hee. We have basically the same cage that Cochise had originally except we had the one that was one size smaller. I think he had the 500 something model and we got the 400 or something like that.

As a baby our HH was sweet and affectionate and would go anywhere with anyone and do anything. I can't remember when exactly but i think around 1.5 years old he stopped letting others handle him. We were okay but anyone outside the fam was in danger. I would not say he is aggressive, but he is every vigilent. A tiny and i mean tiny little bug on the wall will cause him to growl and stare until someone comes and fixes it. And he is not at all tollerant of visitors into the house, he was when he was younger but at some point a switch flipped and he was upset.

Now if he is outside the house he LOVES to see children. He will watch them and even chat with them. They however must not come too close I won't let anyone come next to his cage. But even in the house he LOVES to go to a window and look for children, he gets the happiest when he see's one and starts trying to charm them with his happy words.

Ours is a one bird home so I can't speak to how they get along with others, except to say when he was three months old and around other birds, he scared a baby mccaw right off its perch and also a Bully of a goffins adult who was biting children and attacking humans that got to close. Both ran off in fear and the HH's bold approach. They probably couldn't figure out what the heck he was hee hee

I will say they are strong minded and stubborn. If you try to reinforce that they can't go or do something they will keep trying until they get distracted. I've never seen another bird with there single minded determination. I think you have to be very proactive with training them with positive reinforcement because i could see where they could very quickly adopt bad behaviors and run wild. Also they seem to pick up on what your emotional state is an take it upon themselves as well.

Lastly ours is a great little talker and lately he also loves to sing