Looking for a bird that is affectionate, playful, bold, perky, garrulous, intelligent, inquisitive, fearless, mischievous, feisty, and who thinks that it is as large as a macaw all rolled up in an eight inch long frame? Then look no further, the grey-cheeked parakeet is all of those things and more.
Physical Characteristics
Troll & Radar (photo by Sonja)
Weighing in at 50-65 grams, the grey cheek (Brotogeris pyrrhopterus), also known as a pocket parrot, orange-flanked parakeet or orange-winged parakeet, received its name primarily from its distinctive grey cheeks. Its other distinguishing features are a dusky blue crown, brilliant orange feathers on the underwing, iridescent green feathers on its back, outer wing and tail areas, and a lighter, lime-green shade on its belly. Until 6 months of age, grey cheeks have black or spotty, black beaks and are often not as brightly colored as their parents. As they mature, their beaks become horn-colored (Harris). Grey cheeks are not sexually dimorphic and need DNA testing to determine their sex. According to David Alderton ("You and Your Pet Bird," 1992), the average life span of the grey cheek is 15 years, but some grey cheek owners claim they can live well into their 20s if properly cared for, fed a nutritional, balanced diet, and kept out of mischief.
History/Natural Habitat
According to many sources, the grey cheek was imported into the U.S. in large numbers in the 1970s through the fall of 1992 when importation was halted by a federal bill. Susan Hoss' article, "Hooked on Grey Cheeks," states that grey cheeks were bred by A.R. Hood as early as 1935. Robbie Harris, a California bird breeder and author, is the mostly widely written grey cheek breeder to date with a book (1985) and numerous articles on the grey cheek and the Brotogeris family.
In western Ecuador and northwestern Peru, grey cheeks live in arid scrub lands and deciduous forests, making their nests in old, arboreal, termite nests, decaying wood, or in moss nests in hollow, scrub trees. Their diet consists of petals and seeds of Erythrina trees and the flowers, fruit, and seeds of other native plants (Best, et al.). They also relish the occasional visit to local banana plantations (Worth).
Baby grey cheeks were taken from their nests and hand-fed before leaving their native countries. As a result, they were "tame and sweet" upon arrival in the U.S. or shortly thereafter if the hand feeding or weaning was completed at the quarantine station (Harris and Worth). Because they were so popular and plentiful when they were being imported, Harris mentioned that they sold for as little as $25 - $30. In addition, Harris' prediction of soaring prices is now a reality; they currently range in price from $175 - $400.
Grey cheeks are "near threatened"* in the wild (Collar, et al.), and although they are fairly plentiful within their restricted range in Ecuador, they are now extremely scarce in Peru. Some of the threats to grey cheeks are loss of habitat, local trade, and formerly, the international trade, when they were imported into the U.S. by the thousands, seriously depleting the wild population (Best, et al.). This species is considered the most endangered of the Brotogeris family (Best, et al.). Luckily, four areas inhabited by grey cheeks are protected reserves or national forests, though more areas that they inhabit will need protective status if the grey cheek is going to survive in the wild.
Potential as Pets
It is very difficult to class the grey cheek into any one category, since each bird has its own personality/individuality. Hand-fed grey cheeks are generally affectionate, friendly, have gentle dispositions, and love spending most of their time with their human buddies, forming very strong bonds with their owners. They often beg you for attention and love having their heads and neck scratched, burrowing in your clothes-especially pockets, and will often sleep on their owners. Grey cheeks can be one-person birds or can form attachments to others as well depending on how well socialized they are, the individual bird's personality, and how much time is spent working with them. Grey cheeks are extremely loyal to their owners and are "social" birds that like to be included in household activities as much as possible - especially meals. If in doubt, try taking one to the dinner table with you and watch the little guy dive into your plate, head first!
The intelligence of these birds constantly amazes me. They will figure out ways to get what they want or get to where they want to go by the most outrageous means. For instance, no matter where her cage is located in the room, my clipped, female grey cheek will find a way to get to the cockatiel's cage across the room to raid his food dishes. If I leave the room for a minute or two and then return, even though precautions were taken to insure that the bird could not possibly get to the other cage, there she'll be, happily munching away in the tiel's cage making smug, little clucking noises.
These energetic little birds have 'large' personalities compared to their small size. They are often quite fearless, and their curious nature can get them into scrapes with larger birds, with other household pets, and can even endanger their own lives when out wandering if not properly supervised during "out" time (Harris). My bird often falls asleep in my hand or sidles up to my hand to sleep. A word of warning, however, do not allow your grey cheek to sleep with you. Main causes of death in grey cheeks are suffocation, being crushed when the owner rolls on top of the bird, or by being stepped on when they get under foot. Their adventurous, exploratory nature can cause them to be seriously injured as well, which is why I cannot stress supervision too strongly.
While some grey cheeks are very bold and inquisitive, others are very sensitive, quiet, and shy. Though many grey cheeks have gentle dispositions all the time, not all grey cheeks are sweet. Even the sweetest grey cheek can occasionally have mood swings and go through hormonal changes when sexually mature (Mandis), especially during breeding season (Harris). Being very territorial birds in the wild, and in your home, they may yell when strangers (or friends) come to visit. They have been known to be nippy and feisty in protecting their space and can be very possessive of their owners; "watch bird" or "attack bird" comes to mind. They can even attack their owners when one of their mood swings hits them. Some grey cheeks will throw temper tantrums when overly tired or when they do not get their own way. Parent-raised birds or adult, wild-caught, grey cheeks are generally not as sweet as hand-fed birds but can be tamed and won over with a lot of love and patience.
Grey cheeks can also be very opinionated and have their definite likes and dislikes. Grey cheek dislikes range from rustling plastic bags to resenting their owners talking on the phone. My bird will burrow between my neck and the phone and push the phone away from my face when I am talking! Though some grey cheeks are not afraid of anything, some can be afraid of things like rubber gloves, brooms, vacuum cleaners, garden hoses, brooms, dust mops, and spiders to name a few. The owner of a grey cheek named Sherlock told me that her bird seems to see invisible ants crawling on the bed and dives in terror! Their likes can range from spending quality time with their owners to splashing in their bath water.
Diet
The grey cheek's diet should consist of pellets, a good cockatiel seed mixture, fresh water daily, and a wide variety of fruits and vegetables. If a grey cheek consistently refuses a pelleted diet, then a powdered, avian vitamin supplement should be sprinkled on their fruits and vegetables. (I do not recommend the liquid form in drinking water due to the potential for bacterial growth). Some foods that grey cheeks love to eat or will try are: apples, papaya, cut-up oranges, carrots, melon (not the rind), corn, plums, broccoli, pears, bananas, peaches, brown rice, plain cooked pasta, squash, peas, grapes, cherries, fresh sprouted seeds, cooked beans, cheese, spray millet, green beans, red or green peppers, greens (like spinach, etc.), sweet potatoes, yams or potatoes (peeled & cooked), beets, and multi-grain cereals that are low in sodium, sugar, and fat. There is a lot to choose from. Grey cheeks are notorious fruit hounds and will often ignore other foodstuff when fruit is mixed in with it. I suggest offering them vegetables, grains or starches first and then giving them their fruit treats after they have eaten the other items. As an occasional treat, try air-popped popcorn (no salt or butter), a piece of shredded hard cheese, or a little wheat bread (keep these items to a minimum as they can cause yeast problems in your birds according to my avian vet). A cuttlebone or a mineral block should also be included in their cages at all times. (A note of warning: do not feed fruit pits or seeds as they are toxic).
Housing
A grey cheek can be housed in a medium-sized cage, 16 - 20 inches wide (or square), with bar spacing similar to a cockatiel cage (1/2" - 3/4"). Use a combination of perches (the same diameter as the bar spacing): natural branch perches, wooden dowels or comfort perches, Booda or rope perches, and a cement perch to keep the nails and beak trim. Playpens on the cage tops are often enjoyed by grey cheeks as are a wide variety of toys such as wooden toys, acrylic toys, bells, etc. to keep them entertained. Most grey cheeks--quite the little acrobats--are very playful, will hang from and swing on rope toys, and have the climbing agility of monkeys! They need time out of their cages every day as long as it is supervised. A good variety of toys and leaving a radio on during the day can help to pass the time and relieve boredom when you are at work or school. Bathing is another important part of a grey cheek's life; they love splashing around in a shallow bowl of water. I use a 2"H x 5"W round, plastic bowl which can be found at most pet stores.
Trainability
Sources, including Robbie Harris, indicate that grey cheeks can learn to perform tricks. Some grey cheek owners that I correspond with have also successfully potty-trained their birds. Mine will defecate on a newspaper that I keep handy when I tell her to "go potty" and position her above the paper. However, if I am lax about watching for the potty signals, then she will go wherever she feels like it. When she goes of her own accord to the newspaper and 'goes potty' without a reminder from me, then she will be truly potty trained!
As for their talking ability, Robbie Harris' experience with grey cheeks indicates that they can learn to speak, though she does not rate them in the top percentile of best talkers. A grey cheek breeder from Washington state, Smiles Germeau, says that grey cheeks "[do] have some ability for mimicry but are not known for the speech clarity of their larger [parrot] cousins." A booklet called "The Grey-cheeked Parakeet" (author unknown) states that they "can learn to talk and whistle with ease" and that they can be "avid talkers." Many of my e-mail correspondents have told me that their birds are good talkers as well. Grey cheeks tend to mumble and talk when covered up for the evening or just before they get up in the morning. My bird will say "peek-a-boo" anywhere from 5 - 20 times after she is covered up at night. Any kind of training will take time and patience on the owner's part.
Loudness
When compared to the vocal volume of cockatoos, macaws or some members of the conure family, the grey cheek's squawk is relatively mild. Some grey cheeks are very quiet and can be kept in apartments, though a house would be preferable. According to Harris, when two or more grey cheeks are housed in your home, their "chattering voices can be annoying at times"; however, one grey cheek is not nearly as noisy. Some grey cheek owners are probably muttering to themselves now saying, "what do you mean one grey cheek is relatively quiet? Are you crazy?"
Grey cheeks definitely do know how to scream when they do not get their way, when they crave attention, or when they hear the sound of running water, rattling plastic or paper bags, etc. Visitors to your home can trigger bouts of screaming as well. Dr. Walter J. Rosskopf and other sources state that grey cheeks are "very prone to nuisance screaming." One owner describes this yelling as the "grey cheek war cry." I happen to have a grey cheek who is a screamer and who is the 'queen' of the mood swing. Grey cheeks who are "nuisance screamers," biters, or have other behavioral problems need special handling, but they are definitely worth the effort. There are a number of good articles available on the web and in avian publications that can assist with problem behaviors. It is important to be patient with grey cheeks that do exhibit these tendencies and work on correcting the problem instead of punishing them for their behavior.
In a nutshell, a grey cheek can be the best pet you ever own (or are owned by) even if you happen to have one that is a "mood swinger." Just ask anyone who owns one or has owned one in the past; most all are fiercely loyal to the breed, nearly as loyal as the birds are to them. In my opinion, grey cheeks, though not always predictable, sure are a barrel of fun, keep you on your toes, and bring a lot of joy into your life.
*Update by author: Grey cheeks are considered threatened in the wild and are no longer widely available as pets. There are a few breeders left mostly in Florida or California. Personally, I believe that there should be a cooperative breeding program for these birds so that they don't end up extinct like the Carolina Parakeet (a conure species that was endemic to the eastern United States) that was, among other things, slaughtered to extinction because they foraged on crops). I would recommend another member of the Brotogeris family like the white-wing parakeet or yellow-chevroned (both were formerly called canary-winged parakeets). Small conures like green-cheeked conures or maroon-bellied conures also make good pets and have similar personalities to the grey cheek.
Alderton, David. You and Your Pet Bird, New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 1992: 90.
Best, Brinley J. and Michael Kessler. Biodiversity and Conservation in Tumbesian Ecuador and Peru, Cambridge, UK: Birdlife International, 1995: 49,124,130-131,151,154,163-172,175,187,201. Available full-text online: pages 1-113 | pages 114-218.
Best, Brinley J., Christopher T. Clarke, Matthew Checker, Amanda L. Broom, Richard M. Thewlis, Will Duckworth and Angus McNab. "Distributional records, natural history notes, and conservation of some poorly known birds from southwestern Ecuador and northwestern Peru," (Part I) Bulletin of the British Ornithologists Club 113, 1993:108-119.
Best, Brinley J., Niels Krabbe, Christopher T. Clarke, and Amanda L. Best. "Red-masked Parakeet (Aratinga erythrogenys) and Grey-cheeked Parakeet (Brotogeris Pyrrhopterus): Two threatened parrots from Tumbesian Ecuador and Peru?" in Bird Conservation International 5, 1995: 233-250.
Best, Brinley and Ecuadorian Dry Forest Project. The Threatened Forests of South-West Ecuador: The Final Report of the Ecuadorian Dry Forest Project, 1991, Biosphere Publications.
Brightsmith, D.J. "Nest site shifts from tree cavities to termite mounds II," 2005. Competition, predation and nest niche shifts among tropical cavity nesters: phylogeny and natural history evolution of parrots (Psittaciformes) and trogons (Trogoniformes). Journal of Avian Biology 36:64-73.
Brightsmith, D.J. and Pautrat, L. "Termites y la Coexistencia con Aves Tropicales. Parque Nacional del Manu. En: Xilema. Revista de los Estudiantes de la Facultad de Ciencias Forestales. UNALM. Año 1, No. 1. 1998.
Brightsmith, D.J. "The roles of predation and competition in nest niche differentiation: evidence from termitarium nesting parrots and trogons." PhD Dissertation. Department of Zoology. Duke University, Durham, NC. 1999. Abstract.
Clubb, Susan L. "Private Aviculture in Conservation of Neotropical Psittacines" in New World Parrots in Crisis: Solutions from Conservation Biology, ed. Steven R. Beissinger and Noel F.R. Snyder, Washington and London: Smithsonian Institute Press, 1988: 124-127 (portion of article pertains to grey cheeks).
Collar, N.J. and P. Andrew. Birds to Watch: The ICBP World Checklist of Threatened Birds, Technical Publication No. 8, Washington, DC: Smithsonian Institution Press, 1988: 76.
Collar, N.J. and A.T. Juniper. "Dimensions and Causes of the Parrot Conservation Crisis" in New World Parrots in Crisis: Solutions from Conservation Biology, ed. Steven R. Beissinger and Noel F.R. Snyder, Washington and London: Smithsonian Institution Press, 1988: 3-21 (portion of article pertains to grey cheeks).
Harris, Robbie. "Grey-cheeked Parakeets and Other Brotogeris," Neptune City, NJ: T.F.H. Publications, Inc., 1985.
Meyer de Schauensee, Rodolphe. The Species of Birds of South America and Their Distribution, Norberth, PA: Academy of Natural Sciences, 1966: 129-130 (small section on Brotogeris).
Parker, Theodore A., III, Thomas S. Schulenberg, Michael Kessler, and Walter H. Wust. "Natural history and conservation of the endemic avifauna in north-west Peru," Bird Conservation International, 5 (1995): 201-231.
Have a problem with your parrot biting you? You are not the only one. I have had three different parrots who enjoyed biting the crap out of me. Learn to look for what kind of mood they are in before handling your bird.
If their irises are mere pinpoints, if their wings are jerking a bit, if their head and neck feathers are puffed out, or if they are chatting angrily to themselves, stay away. I have avoided many bites just from watching their mannerisms before handling them.
Blanchard, Sally. "Getting Past Biting Behaviors by Understanding Them," Bird Talk, May 2010.
The Cobalt-winged parakeet is also known as a cobalt-wing. I don't plan on recreating information on this cousin of the grey cheek, but thought I would provide links to information already available. Check out these pages on the web which include photos, habitat maps, videos, sound recordings, diet and other information regarding these parakeets. Juvenile cobalt wing photo (below right) courtesy of Shady Pines Aviary.
Here is a YouTube video that someone shared of their pet cobalt wing, Binky, eating and talking a little:
Publications mentioning Cobalt Wings:
Brightsmith, Donald J. "Effects of Diet, Migration, and Breeding on Clay Lick Use by Parrots in Southeastern Peru," American Federation of Aviculture 2004 Symposium Proceedings, Aug. 2004 (pdf).
Brightsmith, Donald J. "Nest Sites of Termitarium Nesting Birds in SE Peru," Ornitologia Neotropical, 15:-, 2004 (Neotropical Ornithological Society).
Brightsmith, Donald J. "The psittacine year: what drives annual cycles in Tambopata's parrots," VI International Parrot Convention, Loro Parque, Tenerife, Spain, April 2006 (pdf).
Brightsmith, Donald J. "Use of Arboreal Termitaria by Nesting Birds in the Peruvian Amazon," The Condor, 2000, 102(3):529-538 (BioOne Online Journals).
Cotton, Peter A. "The Behavior and Interactions of Birds Visiting Erythrina fusca Flowers in the Colombian Amazon," Biotropica, 15 Mar 2006, 4(33): 662-669 (Wiley Interscience).
Hammer, Matthias L. A. "Parrot colpa and geophagy behaviour from the El Gato region of the Tambopata-Candamo Reserved Zone, Amazonia, Peru," Biosphere Expeditions (pdf).
Harris, Robbie. "Breeding the Cobalt-winged Parakeet," A.F.A. Watchbird, 1984C, no. 11, p. 30, 32-34, 36-37.
Low, Rosemary. "Breeding Two Species of Brotogeris Parrakeets (sic) at Loro Parque," Avicultural Magazine, 93 (1987B): 198-201 (re: grey cheeks & cobalt wing).
Pinto, Míriam Plaza; Mathias, Pablo Vinícius Clemente; Blamires, Daniel Blamires; Diniz-Filho, José Alexandre Felizola and Bini, Luis Mauricio. "Selecting priority areas to conserve Psittacines in the Brazilian cerrado: minimizing human–conservation conflicts, Bird Conservation International, 2007, 17:1:13-22 (Abstract).
Tello, Jose G. "Frugivores at a fruiting Ficus in south-eastern Peru," Journal of Tropical Ecology, 2003, 19:6:717-721 (Cambridge Journals).
In September 30, 2008, an article appeared in the Urban Parrot Conservation section in Cityparrots.org stating that the IUCN lists the Grey-cheeked Parakeet (Brotogeris pyrrhoptera) as endangered. Birdlife International states that this "species qualifies as endangered because it has been affected by very rapid rates of population decline caused by trapping for the cagebird trade, plus habitat loss. Future population declines are projected to be slower, but still a serious cause for concern."
Cityparrots.org went on to mention that "with 59,320 birds reportedly imported by CITES countries between 1983-1988. In 1995, the wild population was estimated at 15,000 birds, principally in Ecuador. This represents a very crude decline of c.70% in 10 years, although it is still locally common in suitable habitat remnants."
The article continued stating that "several feral Brotogeris species do well in cities. The Brotogeris versicolurus subspecies have colonised several cities in North (mostly in Florida and California) and South America. Brotogeris tirica is also numerous in Sao Paulo, locally often referred to as maritacas."
"Cityparrots.org aims to incorporate native urban areas in parrot conservation. One major conglomerate in the range of the Grey-cheeked Parakeet is Guayaquil, the largest and the most populous city in Ecuador. Made curious by Forshaws' note that the Grey-cheeked Parakeet frequents the urban parks of Guayaquil [they] asked [their] friends from Jambeli's Foundation what they knew about the species in Guayaquil. Rafaela Orrantia replied by sending [them] several images and videos of this endangered parakeet visiting her backyard. She notes that the parakeet is very common in Guayaquil. The parakeets probably naturally colonized the city trough the "Chongón-Colonche" mountain range which has its beginning in the city."
"But not all is bliss. Guayaquil was not colonized by the Grey-cheeked Parakeet alone. Brotogeris versicolurus is now also commonly seen in the city and flocks with the native species. This raises all kinds of concerns. Being closely related the two species might interbreed, genetically weakening the species. More research is needed to see if hybrids of the two species are fertile and to what extend hybridisation occurs."
Additionally, "more pressing however is the competition between the two species. B. versicolurus is known to be a very potent urban colonizer. Which in time might out compete the Grey-cheeked Parakeet for which no data on urban colonization exists. Monitoring the population growth of both species would be important to assess the conservation status of B. pyrrhoptera in Guayaquil and if selective removal of B. versicolurus is necessary."
As a breeder who has owned and raised grey cheeks for about 9 years, I have had a chance to observe and puzzle over their seemingly inconsistent behavior. Several individuals have even returned grey cheeks to me because of this, and as a result, I have compiled some useful information from my observations to help new and current grey cheek owners comprehend their bird's behavior.
I think it's very important to understand the maturing process of grey cheeks and some of the personality changes that occur as sex hormones kick in. Whenever I sell these birds, I try to educate people about the changes they may see, since as the bird matures, they frequently do not understand the changes, and the bird is then abused, neglected or worse.
Here is a quick summary of what I have observed and learned by reading every bit of information I can find on grey cheeks:
As they mature...
0 - 12 months - Babies are generally very tame and cuddly, sweet. Some bite occasionally, especially the dominant personalities.
12 - 24 months - Sexual maturing process takes place. Behavior I see is:
Continued sweetness, but bonding with certain individuals occurs. May see some biting and aggressiveness towards "competition."
Dominating and territorial behavior begins. They can get very noisy if strangers come near.
Biting may start, especially in or near the cage (the bird's home). Note that I have had some birds (out of about 60) that never or rarely bite, but most of them do--it's part of their way of communicating and controlling their environment.
Like people, cats and dogs, their adult personalities will range from naturally passive and sweet to overbearing and aggressive. Note that you can train them to minimize aggression. I have never been able to predict how a baby will turn out.
18 months and older - Maturing continues.
They are a lot like Amazons and can be moody and testy. I have had several mateless birds start plucking all their feathers as hormones arrive, and they need mates. Biting can be frequent and appears random, but I do not believe it is. I think it's for at least one of several reasons:
The bird is simply trying to dominate you to show who is boss.
It may be competing with someone else for their human mate's attention. In the wild, birds will bite/strike their mates to drive them away from another bird trying to horn in on their mate.
It is mating season (from about March to September for grey cheeks), and their natural instincts make them more territorial and aggressive than usual.
It is protecting its territory. Usually you see this near its cage or when you are its territory (like your shoulder).
One grey cheek owner shared a video on YouTube about their grey cheeks defeating the slipper demon.
The fact that your grey cheek is biting does not mean the bird does not like you. If anything, it means it likes you very much and wants you for a mate. It helps to remember that wild grey cheeks live in large flocks and compete all the time for food, mates, and the best nesting places. They appear to take on long-term mates and bond very deeply with their chosen ones. They also get in bad moods and just want to be left alone (PMS?). When my pairs are nesting, even my sweet guys will bite me hard if I come near, and they can get me. They then revert during the off season.
Here's how I handle biting with fairly good success:
Like dogs, you have to establish dominance over your bird--you must be the boss! When one of my birds bites me--and it hurts, I hold the bird in one hand and grip its beak firmly (do not squeeze your bird too tightly as they still need to breath) with the other for up to a minute while saying "No!" Basically, it makes the bird helpless, which it does not like. Do this consistently every time it nips or deliberately bites, and after a while, you should see the biting diminish or disappear (at least with you--it will probably still be vicious with others).
I love grey cheeks and hate to see them mistreated as they age and their owners do not know how to adapt to them. If you keep control over them, most grey cheeks remain some of the best companions I know.
Written by Kathleen Mandis
Article has been reprinted with the author's permission. This article may not be reprinted without written consent from the author.
Give your bird(s) a lot of love, time, and patience.
Consider subscribing to Bird Talk magazine. This is a helpful source of information on caring for pet birds.
Wash fresh fruits and veggies before giving them to your bird and give him/her fresh food and water every day.
Allow your bird to bath frequently at least a couple of times a week and daily if possible. My bird prefers a bath taken in a small 5-6" wide (2-3" high) bowl of water (room temperature).
Teach your bird the "up" and "down" commands. Although with grey cheeks, they don't always wish to obey the "down" command. They sometimes grip their owner's finger even tighter when one gives the "down" command!
Take your bird for regular well-bird check-ups with a certified avian vet. Also consider keeping an Avian First Aid Kit in your home and check out NetVet.
Clip your bird's wings when the primary coverts grow out and trim your bird's nails when they get long and sharp (if you are not acquainted with these procedures, please have a professional do it for you; it is fairly inexpensive to have done).
Dismantle and clean your bird's cage completely, including toys and perches, with hot, soapy water to which a capful of liquid bleach (like lemon Clorox) has been added. This will clean and sterilize the cage to provide a safe environment for your pet.
Consider leaving a radio on during the day when you are away at work or school to keep your bird entertained and allow some supervised "out" time for your bird when you are home.
Research a bird species you are interested in before you buy one to determine if it is right for you.
Never buy a bird merely for its color, buy a bird on impulse, or for the sole purpose of expecting it to be a talker (and then be disappointed if it is not).
Do not lose your temper or get frustrated with your bird or its behavior. Birds, like other animals, are in tune with their owner's emotions and will react accordingly.
Do not use teflon or other coated cook ware (fumes from overheated pans can kill your bird if heated past a certain temperature).
Do not keep your bird shut up in its cage all the time. Birds have feelings too and will be extremely unhappy if shut up constantly and may develop behavioral problems as a result.
Do not feed your bird avocado, chocolate or foods full of sugar, fat, salt, or an all seed diet.
Do not use soaps or other chemicals directly on your bird or use aerosols, paint, or other chemical products around your bird(s); they have very delicate, sensitive respiratory systems and could die from asphyxiation.
Do not place your bird directly by a heater or place your bird in direct sunlight without providing a place for him/her to be in the shade (sun/heat stroke could occur). Do not place your bird near an open window or near an air conditioner as birds are susceptible to upper respiratory infections.
Do not let your bird chew on jewelry, buttons, dried paint, metal blinds, treated wood, etc. (paint and costume jewelry, especially, could contain lead; and wood can be treated with harmful chemicals).
Do not walk blindly into bird care without knowing how to care for them.
Do not let your bird's nails get too long as they can get caught in frayed ropes or other toys in its cage or let your bird's primary coverts completely grow out. Free-flying birds can accidentally escape through an open window or door, fly into windows, mirrors, water boiling on the stove or a hot frying pan, or land in the commode and drown.
Do not let your bird's cage go uncleaned as mites, bacteria, old food, and feces can adversely affect your bird's health.
Brotogeris refers to this genus' talking ability and means "with the voice of a man." Pyrrhopterus means "red" or "flame" therefore the term "fire-wing" applies to grey cheeks for their bright orange underwing coverts. Grey cheeks are often called "pericos" by Ecuadorians which is Spanish for "little parrot."
Most common pronunciation heard for Brotogeris has been: broh-toh-JERR-iss with a long "o" sound and the "g" sounding like that of Geritol or Jerry. Have also heard it pronounced broh-TOJJ-uh-riss (accent on the second syllable) and an Americanized version, broh-toh-GAIR-iss (soft "g" sound like in Gary). Pyrrhopterus is pronounced pirr-HOPP-turr-uhs (with long "i" sound, "Pie-ur") and also heard as purr-HOPP-turr-oos. Personally, I'll leave it to the Latin experts.
From sources I have read, grey-cheeked parakeets (grey cheeks) are unique birds; originating in parts of Ecuador and Peru, they were imported into the United States in large numbers during the late 1970s and early 1980s. They have been set up by a number of breeders in all parts of the country, make excellent pets, and, according to Dr. David Alderton ("You and Your Pet Bird"), have an average life span of 15 years.
Though relatively quiet birds when compared to macaws, cockatoos, or conures, grey cheeks can be fairly boisterous when they want to be and can even become annoying at times. I am always amused when people ask, "Are they noisy?" or "Are they loud?" Arthur Freud ("The Complete Parrot," p. 10) summed it up best when he said, "Parrots are sometimes referred to as noisy. This is rather like calling river wet. Noise and parrots go together, and if noise would be a problem in your home you probably should not own a parrot."
Grey cheeks weigh 54-68 grams and are about 8 inches long (this includes the tail) (20 cm), while other members of the Brotogeris family can be anywhere from 7-9 inches in length. These birds were not rated in the top ten by Bird Talk magazine in their talking ability, but a number of them have a good capacity for speaking. My bird learned to say "hello", "peek-a-boo", the name of another bird (also imitated the voice of the other bird to a "T"), made kissing noises, and wolf whistled. All parrots have the capability of talking, although not every parrot, even in a particular genus known to be good talkers, will learn or choose to speak. Some simply do not want to talk.
Grey cheeks are generally sweet-natured, and those that have been hand-fed love to be held and have their heads scratched (preened). In fact, they prefer to be with you 90% of the time and will even beg with little buzzing beeps for you to pick them up. My bird would even turn her head completely upside down to get my attention! Once on their beloved human buddy, they are reluctant to let go of your hand or clothing and often tighten their grip on your finger. Needless to say, my grey cheek decided not to obey the "down" command (she was very stubborn about it too) and sometimes had to be pried from my finger to be put back in her cage. This was more of an endearing quality than a nuisance. They really like their owners!
Occasionally, grey cheeks will start frantically flapping their wings or thrashing about their cage right after they have been covered for the night. It seems to me that the bird is simply showing its displeasure at you daring to put it to bed before it is ready to go! My tiels do this too on occasion.
Grey cheeks will often pick up food with their foot like larger parrots, lift it to their beak, and eat it while standing on one foot. They will even drag a favorite food to a higher perch in their cage--or on top of their cage--before eating the item with relish.
They are also proficient climbers and are able to get just about anywhere they want to go. I would turn my back one minute and find a certain little green bird had jumped off her cage, ran across the floor, and climbed up the bookcase. How the bird got up the bookcase is still a mystery to me, especially since her wings were clipped, and she usually climbed, walked or hopped to get where she wanted to go! They are also extremely intelligent, very bold, require a lot of time, and seem to need a lot of their owner's personal attention. Very needy birds.
Many breeders and owners recommend grey cheeks as first time pet birds. It is my personal opinion that they would make a good addition to an already established home of one or more birds as long as one has the time to devote to this bird. One breeder indicated to me that she thought grey cheeks disliked children. According to an article that I read by Susan Hoss ("Hello, My Name Is Captain Flint"), this is not true. Susan and her husband not only have taken their grey cheeks to grade school with them but have used them to help teach classes! The kids absolutely loved them and begged to have them come back! I think the only reasons a grey cheek might resent a child is if the bird were jealous of the child, afraid of a child or if the bird were mishandled by the child at some point or felt that the child was invading it's territory. But I think this would hold true for any bird species and not just grey cheeks.
lthough they can be very sweet, grey cheeks are also quite territorial and will start 'hollering' or may bite you as a warning when a stranger comes into their home. They also tend--although this is not always true--to nip their owners or owners' friends if they feel threatened, which, of course, can be problematical. A number of articles that I have read mention that grey cheeks will challenge a bird 5 times their size (or even a visitor to your home) and seem quite fearless in announcing their displeasure to newcomers invading their territory. I have seen this behavior in these birds as well.
Reprinted from the former Grey-cheeked Parakeet website, 1997.
Meet Whistling Mick, the grey cheek wonder, wolf whistling at his stuffed oinking pig. Mick's owner had given me permission to display this for my web site a number of years ago. It is just extremely cute! Makes me miss my Kiwi. She was an excellent wolf whistler.
