A companion parrot is to a bird lover what a favorite lapdog is to its owner -- a friend through thick and thin. This book offers a wealth of advice on such topics as choosing between a young parrot and an older bird, selecting and training a talking parrot, modifying some of a companion parrot"s behavior traits and periodically reinforcing behavior changes, keeping the bird groomed and away from household safety hazards, and virtually all other aspects of care. The author, a respected parrot expert, discusses ways of coping with occasional problems that include excessive screaming and feather chewing, and describes general differences in behavior among various companion birds - budgies, lovebirds, cockatiels, macaws, conures, lories and others.