Choosing A Feathered Companion
This is where all bird enthusiasts should start when looking for a Feathered Companion. First Rule of thumb; Do Not Rush and Buy on Impulse! (It could be a choice that you Will Regret Later or Sooner than Later!) Second: Do your Research, by internet search, books, and in my opinion, the best research is talking to others that have feathered companions.
Disregard the Old Wives Tale: (Start small.) The reason I say this is, If you want a bird for a companion, do your research, know what you want and get what you want, so all Can and Will be Happy! There's not any Reason for You or the Bird to Suffer because of an impulse purchase!
"I have seen too many Birds that became unpredictable biters/attackers, pickers, and self multilators due to abandonment, neglect, and mistreatment, and simply because people failed to do the research, and or listen to the advice that they were given prior to purchasing, or obtaining, such a magnificant creature. So Please, don't think of just one's self when considering a Bird for a pet. Think of the Bird, it's Specific Needs and Requirements, so which ever species of Bird you choose can and will be a Happy, Healthy, member of your family."
Most Behaviorial Problems in Birds are Created by Human Error!
Now remember, this is (my) 15 years of experience and may not be that of others, therefore, this is what I have to share, Free of Charge!!! What you get from me here, is my experiences and knowledge and in my own words, not something copied from another site, and I am going to talk about things as though we are standing across from one another having a conversation. 
I will probably repeat myself a hundred times over and all for good reasons. One can never learn enough and just because I am sharing what I have experienced, that doesn't mean that it is set in gold. I am a firm believer in Honesty and that is why I stress the research into what you seek. Don't Stop Here!
I like to talk, so bare with me.
I will refer to caring, raising, and living with birds to that as living with a child or other family member alot. I do so because of the commitment that is required when one considers a bird for a pet.
Through the years, I have seen so many people buy a baby, even adult birds, on impulse. I always tried to tell them to think about what they were looking for in a pet and that when they buy a bird, whether it was a baby or an adult, it is like having a child or adding a member to the family for the rest of their lives. Yes, the rest of your life! It is possible that some species of our feathered friends can and do outlive us! Keep in mind that birds, like all living creatures, do have their own personalities. If you choose a baby, remember you are the Parent and the Teacher. Yes, we are talking about birds here, and with a Baby or Young Bird, You and those around Your Youngster Will Be the Responsible party or parties for His/Her outcome, just as though it were a human child. If you keep this in mind, then it should help reduce any behavioral problems that can arrise in the future.
There will be stages that are, well...., natural for the bird to go through, even though it has been raised by a human parent. There are just some things that can't be changed and we will talk more about that later.
When purchasing an Adult Bird: It is a Must to be Mindful that they have had previous homes and one can never truly know what all that a Bird has Experienced! A Little Known Secret Here: Birds Have An Amazing Memory! As much as we'd like this not to be so; People are Not Always Truthful! It is Very Important to be Willing to be Accepting of almost anything, and Patience Is A Virtue. I like to describe older birds as one would describe an Individual Person. Yes, You read that right. My definition of an Individual; not having the exact same thoughts, may have experienced similar things, the same as yourself or things you could never imagine. So if you are not Willing or Ready for an older bird, then a baby would be the best choice for you. Please remember with a baby bird or even an adult bird, you are still the one that it will be learning from.
I, myself, am a sucker for the older ones! All my feathered companions, were someone else's before they became a part of our family. (I will be adding photos of our family to the Albums Page as I slowly work on this website.) I have raised only one bird from the handfeeding stage that was a pet and that was my beloved Crash. She was a Cinnamon White Face Pearl Cockatiel that actually could wolf whistle as good as any male.
We lost her to egg binding.
Here are some things that you should know before buying a baby bird:
Many pet stores, aviaries, and independent breeders have different policies. (Please be Respectful of their policies.) Many aviaries are closed for the protection of their birds. (A closed, to the public, aviary is a way of preventing exposure to diseases and should not be faulted. Especially if they have a good reputation.)
My personal preference is a closed aviary. However, I can not and will not try to persuade anyone into believing that one is better than another, so find the one you are most comfortable with and one that you trust.
Depending on what age you buy a baby, some starting at 3weeks. At 3 weeks most look like little creatures that only a Mother could love and I have seen many that have fallen for this alone. How much time do you actually have to devote to a baby? At 3 weeks they must be fed 5 times a day (some more often, depending on species), kept warm, dry, and clean. (The same goes whether the baby is being handfed at 5 times a day or once a day.)
If you can devote yourself to being the parent of a feathered friend that depends upon you totally for the first few months, as a human child would, then I believe a baby would be the best way to start if your in the market to experience the wonders of feathered companionship!
Yes! I do mean Wonders! If you actually do your research; You'll discover that there are many species of Parrots to choose from and not all species are for everyone. Trust me on this.
This is where, getting out there and visiting Pet Stores that specialize in Birds(More than once), joining bird boards and groups on line and talking to Real People that have birds, you will gain so much more than imaginable!
You will Discover that not everyone will have the same experiences, or opinions; There will be BAD , as well as GOOD! 
Here is what I, alone, have experienced with different species of Parrots.
(Life expectancies: These can and do vary from species to sub species and some can be shorter or longer.)
Amazons: There are lots of Amazons to choose from (There may be others that I do not have listed here because I have only had experience with what I have listed) and here is my list of the most common and popular ones that I have been around in the order of which seem to be the best talkers.
Yellow Nape, Double Yellow Head, Yellow Crown, Blue Front, Lilac Crowned, Orange Winged, Mexican Red Head - a.k.a. Green Cheek, Spectacled - a.k.a. White Front.
Here is a summary of my experience with Amazons;
Most Amazons are really Good Talkers and Singers. They are a medium sized bird, not too small, not too large. They can tend to run on the Pleasantly Plump side and it is very important for them to maintain a good, healthy diet, and plenty of exercise. I've heard it said that once you get down to the Mexican Red Head and the Spectacled they don't seem to talk or sing as much as the others, but that's not to say they don't or won't. I have personally known several Mexican Red Heads and a few Spectacled that were able to talk. My opinion is: What you put into your feathered companions; Is what you'll receive from them. Like I said before, it's like having a child for the rest of your life and that goes for any species of Parrot we will talk about from here on out! During the years I worked at the Pet Store I saw a lot of Parrots come and go.
In the beginning I just thought that Amazons were just plain out mean until I took the time to start watching and trying to understand them better. Now, I am not claiming to be an expert but I will share my knowledge, theories, and conclusions as they had unfolded to me. This is also what I have shared to a majority of bird owners over the years. It seems that when Amazons hit the ages between 5 and 8 years, they are going through the onset of sexual maturity. This can be a very aggravating stage for the Bird as well as the Human. As before mentioned, there are just some things that can't be changed. It has to run it's course. I have seen some Amazons that completely turned on their owners and then there are the ones that grew an even deeper bond. You have to remember, even though this bird was raised by humans, it is experiencing a natural instinct. I believe that we, humans, have a lot to do with which way that turns out. If your bird is agitated, and once you are a birder, you know when that is. It's time to back off just a bit, but don't stay away, and Never show that you are Intimidated by him/her during this time. The very worse thing you can ever do is show your bird that you are intimidated by him/her! I know I'm repeating myself here and it's for a good reason. I have seen so many people give up their feathered companions because of this very issue. Time is all it takes and yes, at some point they may bite you and YES, I'm not going to Lie to You, It Does Hurt, but if you raised your bird in a trusting relationship, then this might never occur. I have had customers complain about their birds tearing up the bottom of their cage and clucking like chickens. Most of them were Amazons between 5 and 8, more than likely females. This is nature taking over and the best thing you can do is be supportive of your companion by treating her the same as you would normally. Try not to make a Big Deal out of it, she could lay an egg at this time and then she may not. (You do need to watch for any signs of egg binding during this stage too.) Yes! Birds lay eggs even if there is no male! It may be in the the birds best interest not to rub on her back or pat her back much during this time, this does tend to make it worse for her, if you catch my drift. Male birds have been known to become a bit aggressive during this time as well as overly friendly.(Like humping a persons hand or the birds favorite toy.) Both males and females may regurgitate quite a bit more for a person or even their favorite toy during this time but regurgitation is also a birds way of sharing how happy he/she is with you and is also a way they show love towards their favorite people or toy. (Regurgitation can be caused by illness and parasites too. See: Keeping Your Bird Safe) However, If there are no other symptoms and your bird is healthy, then this type of reaction is more than likely the birds way of affection.
(Okay, I started talking Amazons and have went on to cover a lot of what can happen with any species of parrot.)
A lot of Amazons have been notorious for being a bit on the mean side but there are so many people out there that have Amazons that will tell you, "They are the Best and Wouldn't Trade Them for Anything Else!", that is why I encourage you to research because I truly believe that it all depends on the person as to how the bird turns out. (There can be other factors that can cause changes but we'll talk about that later.) Life expectancy: 50 to 60 years.
Conures:
Aztec, Patagonian, Blue Crowned, Cherry Head, Mitred, Sun, Jenday, Nanday, Sunday, Jensun, NanJen, Peach Front, Half Moon, Green Cheek, Maroon Belly.
This is a short list of Conures, considering the availability of others, as well as the mutations and crosses, that are out there. You have to remember, I'm only able to tell you about the ones I, myself, have experienced.
In my opinion, Conures are "Clowns of the Bird World" amongst some of the other species that I know to be very playful. Conures are generally very colorful birds with lots of character. However, they can be loud, having a high pitch that tends to irritate a lot of people. The other qualities of Conures tend to be more impressing to me than what noise one can make. I have had 5 Conures over the years, recently losing my last one,(Cisco), in 2006. Again, all were adults, therefore ages were not really known. I have read a lot about Conures and that they don't make very good talkers. I have to disagree with this one! All mine talked, and again, I truly believe it depends on what you put into your feathered companion, as to what you will receive from him/her. I had lots of customers that had Conures and the majority said their Conures could and do talk. I've seen these lil guy/gals lay on their backs, hang upside down, ring bells on command, and all sorts of gymnast stunts. Conures are very energetic feathered companions and have a loving nature that's sure to steal your heart! Life expectancy: 20 to 25 years
Cockatoos: (Too's)
Mollucan, Triton, Eleanor, Umbrella, Rose Breasted, Sulfer Crested, Goffin.
There are Most Definitely more Toos than this and the research is left up to you. These medium to large birds are the ones that I believe are the most MisUnderstood to Neglected Parrots that exists! I have constantly said over and over through out the years and here; Do Your Research! We are the Teachers when it comes to these Amazing Creatures and their Out Come Depends on Us! These Wonderful Feathered Companions are Very Loving and Very Demanding of Love and Attention! Bill use to say; "There's 24 hours in a Day and a Cockatoo wants 28 hours of You a Day!" Yes they can learn to talk, most of them have a muffled sounded vocabulary, some are much clearer than others. I have seen so many Toos come into the pet store for consignment because of Human Error and Not Bird Error!
A Cockatoos fate lies in the hands of those that choose these beautiful birds! They do emit quite a bit of dust and if you or anyone in your household tend to have allergies, This Is Not a Bird For You! (This is Not a suitable bird for apartment dwelling!) When they are babies, they are adorable, but remember, they Do Grow up, and the vocalization of their natural calls, do grow with their size. If not raised and trained properly, Toos can become extremely loud, causing the human, to create even worse behaviors in the bird. Toos have been known as feather pickers/mutilators and if this is the case, generally it is caused by drastic change in the birds enviroment and human error.
I have a friend that has a Too and due to raising and training her bird properly, few problems have arose in the 14 years of their relationship. Too's can be Very Loud and it is natural. Please, Please, Do the research, visit pet stores that have Too's, Talk to others that have Too's, Know that having a bird as a companion, is a Commitment and that You are the one that has decided that, and not the bird. Life expectancy: 65 to 85 years
Cockatiels:
Natural Origin: Austrailia
These small birds are Great! They generally do well in family situations and they Love to be in the midst of all the family activities.
If you or anyone in your household have allergies, a cockatiel, would not be an ideal pet for you because, like their larger cousins, the Cockatoos, tiels do emit dust too.
They come in various colors from the original Grey(Normal) to mutations such as Pearls, Pieds, White Face, Lutino, Lavender, and the list goes on. It is generally the males that are capable of talking and are Notoriously Wonderful Whistlers. (Don't be Fooled though, I have seen and heard a few females that could talk and whistle.)
It is not until a tiel is about 7 months old, first molt, to be able to determine it's sex. Even then, it can sometimes be difficult, depending on whether it is a normal or a mutation. Females make just as great of a companion, as a male, so be sure to consider that when searching for a tiel. Life expectancy: 18 to 20 years. (I have seen Tiels as old as 24 years.)
Parakeets: (Keets)
Budgeriars(American Parakeet), English Budgies, Alexandrine, Derbyan, Moustache, Rose Ringed-a.k.a.Indian Ringneck, Rosella, Bourke, Canary Winged, Red Rumped, Scarlet Breasted.
Here we go again, this is just a drop in the bucket to the possibilities of various keets that exist.
Most of us has probably had a "Parakeet" during the course of our childhood. Had we only known how many more there were than that particular kind we had.(Usually the lil ones)
They range greatly in sizes, colors, and types. Most all Keets with the exception of a few are capable of talking. The most well known talking bird in the early 40's, I may be off on my years here a bit since I am going by my memory of a story told to me by Bill, was a wee lil parakeet that was hosted on a talk show. I believe Bill had said it was a regular budgie, and that he was able to recite his name and address. Amazing, Huh? The popularity soared from there on these small companions.
The keets generally have long tails and the larger types can have really good vocabularies. They tend to be quieter and this is one specie of parrot that I have seen little resale on as far as consignment goes.
Careful when buying an American Budgie(the small keets) for companionship, I have had customers come in that complained they couldn't train their keet and that they are mean. When I would question them about their bird, they would say when they bought their keet, they were told that they needed two. If you want two, that's fine, we all enjoy our own flock, however, if you are wanting keets for companionship, I suggest 1 keet per cage until you have the lil guy or gal finger tamed. Then after you have them finger trained and handleable, you can put them together and have your own lil flock of feathered friends. During training, do not put a mirror in his/her cage, so he/she can bond with you, and not the bird in the mirror.
English Budgies are very similar to the American Keets that we all grew up with, just a bit larger. They too, come in assorted colors, and make great pets.
Life expectancy: 6 to 8 years (This is for the small keets, I have had customers that have had their feathered companions for 11 to 15 years.)
Life expectancy: 18 to 20 years (This is for the Larger Keets)
African Parrots:
Natural Origin: Africa (Ghana, Cameroon, Congo)
African Grey, Senegal, Meyers, Red Belly,
Once more, this is just a dip into what African Birds there are and these are the one that I have been around. African Greys are the most Popular when it comes to Talking! They can mimic voices and sounds to the T! They are Incredible!!! There are several types of Greys: Congo, Timneh, and Cameroon. Congo's Medium sized, Grey with Bright Red Tail, Black Beak. Timneh: Smaller than a Congo, Real Dark Grey, Burgundy Tail, Flesh Colored Beak. Cameroon: Largest, Lightest Grey, Bright Red Tail, Black Beak. There are Greys that have cross bred and those are generally called TimGos. Have you ever watched the Learning Channel? There is a World Known Grey named Alex that has been around and worked with for 19 years + or - that is a must to see! I was informed several years ago by a man of African Decent that came into the pet store that in some parts of Africa, "It is Believed that African Greys have the Talking capabilities they do because they are Tribal Chiefs that have been reincarnated." I had found this very interesting and wish I could have learned more. It is something that I plan to research more when I am through with the rest of the research I am attempting now. There are various stories about the African Greys as far as their temperment goes and as I have said so many times through out this page, Do your own Research! I, myself, have 3 Greys currently. I truly believe a birds social interaction is going to solely depend on how it is reared. Greys are notoriously known to be more nervous and can become pickers. I can't say it enough! I truly believe it depends on the human counterpart when it comes to the outcome of this with any feathered companion. Here's my example: There's a lady that has a Grey that has socialized her bird as she would her child and in doing so, her bird will let anyone touch her and has not ever bit and is far from being nervous. Then there are the ones that I have seen that not even their human companions could touch. Some how, I feel that there's a reasoning in behind this last sceneario though. These thoughts shall, like many other things, be discussed later. Senegals, Red Bellies, and Meyers are like kissing cousins in my opinion. They are small parrots, colorful, sweet, and are all capable of talking. They have the cutest whispy lil voices and be quite the characters.Life expectancy:(Grey)40 to 50 years. Life expectancy:(Senegals, Red Bellies, Meyers) 20 to 25 years.