The following list of species are bred at Hill Country Aviaries, L.L.C. primarily for the companion or avicultural trade. Since most parrot species can make good companions, the criteria we use to decide whether a bird qualifies for the "pet trade" is its availability in captivity. In other words, we try not to sell rare birds into a pet home unless the owners are planning to someday breed them.
What Makes a Good Pet Bird? Many people claim that one species or another does not make a good pet by virtue of its "wild" nature. Although there is some truth to this statement, we believe that the socialization of the bird in its youth is much more important than its genetic background. We have proven this time and time again by socializing the young of some of the most aggressive species and turning them into loving and wonderful pet birds. Everybody has a bad day...and it's not always the nature of the beast!
Eclectus Parrot-Pictured
to the left is a male Eclectus parrot. In our experience, Eclectus parrots can
make some of the best pets and very talented talkers. At HCA we breed several
species of Eclectus parrots and find them all to be good pets.
Ducorp's
Cockatoo-At the HCA we breed 18 species of cockatoos. The Ducorp's cockatoo
is one of our favorite companion birds due to its smaller size and loving
nature.
Citron-crested
Cockatoo-Subspecies of the Lesser Sulphur-crested cockatoo, the little
Citron-crested makes a great pet bird. Females tend to be a little shy, whereas
males can be very outgoing characters. The particular bird to the left is
actually a "lutino" mutation. Normally the Citron-crested cockatoo has a black
beak, grey feet, and dark nails.
Leadbeater's
Cockatoo-Sometimes called the Major Mitchell's cockatoo, this species is
probably one of the most beautiful of all cockatoos. This is only because most
cockatoos are basically white! There simply is no truth to the rumor that this
species does not make a good pet bird. We have placed several Leadbeater's in
pet homes where they are wonderful companion birds.
Jardine's
Parrot-Pictured to the left is a mature example of the "Black-winged"
Jardine's parrot. We breed all three available species of this parrot and find
them all to be great pet birds.
Hyacinth
Macaws-The largest in overall length and weight, the
Hyacinth macaw is not the pet for the timid pet owner. Its not that they are
aggressive or mean, but they are very intimidating to the person that does not
know their "puppy dog" nature. Hyacinth macaws are still quite expensive, but
are becoming more and more available.
Green Winged Macaws-Another
of the larger macaws, the Green-winged macaw can be a fantastic companion bird
and may learn to "mimic" many words.
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