I know you've deeply loved every bird you've ever had, so I'm not trying to make you choose in that way, but is there a species you feel you vibe with best out of those you've ever owned or worked with? For example, I have two cockatiels that I love like children, but when I volunteered at a parrot rescue for a couple years, me and the GCCs always gravitated towards each other, whereas me and the macaws were on totally different wavelengths.
Parrotlets will always hold a very special place in my heart and I always go out of my way to interact with one whenever I get the chance. They are exceptionally charismatic, energetic and curious little birds who will absolutely outsmart you at every turn. I have adored every single one I’ve ever worked with, I used to live in a house that had five of them. They like to be involved in what you’re doing and will insert themselves wherever they fit (which being three inches tall is pretty much anywhere), extremely motivated to train and learn but also an exceptional snuggly buddy who just wants to find the nearest hair cave to crawl in to and nap. They can be stern with their boundaries and will set those marks clearly but if you take the time to learn them communicating with them comes smoothly. They lack patience and are driven by their desire to commit crime, the only thing outweighing that is their need for beauty sleep. the ones I have owned have definitely taken a piece of my soul with them when they left. Something so incredibly small, so feisty, so boisterous yet deeply affectionate (on their terms) and so so fragile.
I wasn’t sure what to expect with Quakers, my experience with them was very limited when it came to adopting Toto, but I have been very pleasantly surprised at how many similarities Toto has shared with parrotlets. May just be a Toto thing rather than a Quaker thing as my experience is pretty limited to a small sample size for that species. But Toto has made Quakers a very close second if not tying for first. Super snuggly and affectionate while also being independent, wanting to be with you and enjoy your company without needing to be excessively invasive, down to train and explore but also totally chill about sitting down for hours watching a movie instead. Very clear about his boundaries without being overly harsh setting them, very forgiving, pretty easy going and adaptable. He’s very goofy, waddling around in bathtubs, tripping over his own toes, and going in circles trying to figure out where to place sticks for his nest that never seems to be more than one stick in size. He is almost pigeon-like in a lot of ways. He’s just happy to be involved, happy to give and receive affection, he would spend the whole day preening you if you let him, as far as parrots go he is a very laid back bird.
Newt is presumably a hybrid between a GCC and a MBC so, like any mixed breed animal, behaviour is heavily influenced by genetics, who really knows what proportions of what species he ended up with. Newt is a very energetic bird, so much so that he has difficulty regulating those emotions, it has taken years to teach him how to self regulate he gets so excited by things. He is the life of any party, is eager to show everyone everything he knows, he’ll chat to anyone and everyone, he wants to engage with everything. He is potentially the most confident bird I’ve ever met, always the first to explore new things and be willing to try. He’s also a very affectionate bird although he is selective about who gets the privilege of giving him affection. He is a very social bird who has taken the time to teach himself how to communicate with different bird species, was more than willing to share his home with Toto coming in, and he also gets hit the hardest when a bird has gone away. He still knows how to mimic Mia’s peeps, and he still does it sometimes. Newt is my most demanding bird, he’s the one that will turn to feather destructive behaviours if a training session gets skipped, he is the most sensitive to routine changes. He needs to be the center of attention in any room, he will stick himself in to whatever you’re doing, if it is Newts time then it is Newts time and nothing else time. For he is Newt and he demands nothing but the best for Newtself. He will settle from time to time to cuddle, he will preen you occasionally, but his preference for human social time is play. He wants to be wriggling around, nibbling on your earlobes, or wrestling your fingers. He is an action packed man, and he will be 30 years of action packed criminal activities with a list of warrants so long your CVS receipt will bow to it.
To answer your question nowadays it’s probably Quakers, as my life goes on keeping up with the criminal masterminds that are conures is less and less viable. One master criminal is more than enough to keep me busy, and although parrotlets will always hold a special place in my heart the knowledge that they are often too small to help leaves a wound too deep to ever try again.