Keeping Parrots in Pairs

Originally I just had one budgie, Bubbles. I loved him, but he never really bonded to me, so we got Misfit to keep him company and give him the companionship he clearly wanted. The difference in him when we got her was amazing. He was so much more content. It was definitely worth getting her for him, and although neither were exactly tame, we could still handle them both and take them in and out the cage. Now we have four and they're really happy together. They're not tame, but they'll step up to go in and out the cage, and we can handle them to check wings and trim nails without too much fuss - and if they fly off and get lost, they coming running to our hands to be "rescued", lol.

When we got the cockatiels, we got two because I work nine hours, and my bf is at uni so his timetables always changing, so we got two so they could keep each other company. They haven't bonded, possibly because they were hand raised and we got them just after weaning, but maybe not. I find though, that they do keep each other company during the day, and when we take them places (like on holiday) they are always together which I'm sure reduces stress for them, as they have each other as a constant, when we can't always be there.

At some point in the future though, I want to get a Maxi Pionus. I haven't yet decided whether I would get one or two. I won't really be in a position to decide that until I'm ready to get one, in a few years time.

I also feel you need more than one of the same species. Even if they are not in the same cage together they can see each other and talk to each other. I do have a few singles but they are not alone. In my Cockatiel aviary their is also a Major Mitchell whose wing was very badly broken when the owners had a pool put in. While bringing it into their yard by crane the pool hit the aviary and scared him. The vet tried to set it but it failed. He was given to me as they sold his mate and no one really wanted him as he was not perfect. He gets on great with the Cockatiels and he is about 20 years old now. My Galah's are either one pair or a small flock. Two aviaries, one with 3 and the other with 5. I tried to even them up but they did not want to accept a stranger. I have 2 pairs of Cockatoos together and the others are in individual cages but all are in sight of each other, the same for the Corella's. I only have one Bourke Parrot now after her mate died, she is not young and she flies in with the budgies and is very happy with them. They think she is just a funny coloured budgie. I do have a Princess Parrot on his own but as I am trying to breed the other 2 pairs he has to be separated from them at the moment as the hen out of one pair is his sister and I don't want them to breed and he would interfere with them bonding and mating. I have a pair of Suns together and 1 single Green Cheek. Until I can afford to get him a female he is on his own but he is next to the Suns so has other conures to talk to. All my lorikeets are in a group of suspended aviaries, some in pairs, some single and one cage with 3, but they can all see and hear each other. Until I can figure out sexes I have not altered their housing yet. And my 12 month old Alex's are together, their sexes are unknown as yet and I am hoping to get at least one partner for one of them. They could both be hens and because of finances I cannot afford 2 mates but I have someone that will let me artificially inseminate with a couple of males and I can then keep a male from each clutch to pair with the opposing hens. This way I will be line breeding and not in breeding or I may be able to swap youngsters with someone else for unrelated birds for mine.

One thin I have found is that birds seem to have a universal language, as well as their species language. A bit like humans with different dialects for the same country. They can inter-communicate with different species. I had a Cockatiel and an Alex who would always be deep in conversation with each other. So even if you can't have the ideal of a mate of the same species even just having another parrot that they can talk to assists in their happiness.