Are IRN (Indian Ringneck) Parrots Social?

Parrots are social – and there are over 350 species of parrots (maybe up to 400+, depending on how they are classified). So, of course, there are exceptions to the ‘parrots are social’ rule.

I had a friend, who recently got an IRN, ask me if my IRN gets along with my other parrots. She’s used to letting her parrots be a flock together. Her Back-caped Conure, Cockatiels and Parrotlet all get along. But the IRN is different. There’s always a dominant personality, a leader emerges, which used to be her Conure. However, now it’s her new, young, IRN and he’s not always a friendly leader.

IRN Are Less Social

IRN are both social and not. I’ve seen videos of them in India, flocks of hundreds or thousands, but they aren’t terribly social. I had gotten two cage mates for my IRN, which didn’t work out. IRN are social when they have a lot of space to distance! Most parrots allow you to house them with another of their same species with no issues. On the contrary, I think it’s good for them. They seem to like the company and like being with a companion. However, the same doesn’t seem to necessarily apply to IRN.

Mine attacked her mate. Off to the avian veterinarian we went…

She no longer has cage-mates.

How Does Milo Get Along With Other Parrots?

Milo is a character and I love her. She’s beautiful, independent (typical of an IRN), wants to spend some time with me, but mostly wants to do what she wants to do.

She has a Cockatiel friend that she chose when she was a baby; she’s always liked Luna Love, but I don’t cage them together or leave them unsupervised alone. I don’t trust Milo. Unfortunately, she doesn’t enjoy my ‘Open Door’ cage policy in which I like to leave my parrot’s doors open for them to choose to come out. With Milo, she’s proven herself untrustworthy. I can let her be outside in our enclosed lanai with larger parrots, like my Macaws or African Greys, and she can be around Luna Love and our Budgies or Lovebird when they are in a cage, protected.

So, Milo does have parrots that she likes, her ‘frineds.’ However, unless a parrot is larger than her, you might call her a bully. I wouldn’t say that because I understand that it’s her nature. IRN are great survivors, so I find it to be programmed into her. Milo is a strong parrot, which is good for her, but can be hazardous to other parrots.

Have a questions about parrots?
As the author of “The Parrot Bliss Bond,” I love and welcome questions about having a parrot and creating one of the best experiences of your life!

BOOK
Get my book Parrot Bliss Bond at https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0998010065?ref=ppx_pt2_dt_b_prod_image

FACEBOOK
Join Parrot Bliss on FB at https://www.facebook.com/ParrotBliss
Join the flock on FB! https://www.facebook.com/groups/pbflock/

WEBSITE
Visit my site at https://parrotbliss.com/

YOUTUBE
https://www.youtube.com/parrotbliss

No mess feeder:
https://www.amazon.com/Tidy-Seed-No-Mess-Feeder-Small/dp/B0037UKP9G/ref=sr_1_4?crid=PE58V6O8N5UJ&keywords=no+mess+parrot+feeder+for+cage&qid=1581625954&sprefix=no+mess+parrot+fee%2Caps%2C178&sr=8-4