The Jardine's is the Poicephalus for somebody who wants a bigger bird than a Senegal without going up to an Amazon. They are green with orange on the head and shoulders, about the size of a small Amazon, and they have a reputation among keepers as the brightest and the most talkative of the genus - and as the one most likely to bite hard while it grows up.
Adolescence is harder here
Every Poicephalus tests its beak between about six months and two years. A Jardine's does it with a beak that can genuinely hurt, and a fair number of owners stop handling because of it - which produces an adult bird nobody can handle. Keepers who ride it out with consistent, calm handling describe the adult as steady and affectionate. The behaviour passes; whether the bird comes out tame depends entirely on what the owner does during it.
Talking
Good for a Poicephalus. A clear voice, a reasonable vocabulary, and the habit of using words in the right place. Among the better talkers you can keep at a volume that does not carry down the street.
Noise
Moderate. A loud call used in bursts rather than a constant voice, noticeably louder than a Meyer's and far quieter than a conure or an Amazon. A house is fine; a thin-walled flat is marginal.
They choose people
Jardine's tend to pick a favourite and can be standoffish with everybody else. Several people handling the bird regularly from the start reduces it considerably.
Weight and diet
Prone to obesity like the rest of the genus, and keen on nuts. Pelleted base, plenty of fresh vegetables, nuts as training rewards.
Living with one
Twenty-five to thirty years. A cage sized for a small Amazon rather than for a Senegal, serious chew material, and daily time out.
Buying one
Ask how the breeder handles the biting phase, because the answer tells you whether they have raised many. Ask how many people have handled the bird. Ask when it weaned and about disease testing. The breeders listed on this page raise Jardine's Parrots and can be contacted directly through the site.