If somebody asks for a real parrot that will not upset the neighbours, the Meyer's is close to the best answer available. They are quiet, small enough to house easily, clever, and good for twenty-five to thirty years. They are also undemonstrative, and that is the part worth being clear about before you buy one.
They like you nearby, not on you
Meyer's are affectionate in an understated way. Most want to be in the same room, to sit on a shoulder or a stand and get on with their own business, and to be scratched when they ask for it rather than whenever you feel like it. Somebody expecting a bird that lies in a hand and begs for cuddles will be disappointed, and the disappointment is usually what leads to the bird being left in its cage.
The quiet is genuine
Chattering, whistling and a sharp alarm call when startled, and nothing like the carrying scream of a conure. Plenty of Meyer's live in flats and shared buildings without complaint. Among parrots with this much character, there is very little else you can say that about.
Adolescence is nippy
Like the Senegal, a young Meyer's will test its beak somewhere between six months and two years. Keepers who keep handling through it end up with a steady adult. Keepers who stop because they got bitten end up with a bird that cannot be handled. It passes, and how it passes is up to the owner.
Weight
Poicephalus put weight on easily and are prone to fatty liver disease on a seed-heavy diet. A pelleted base with fresh vegetables and few seeds, and sunflower as an occasional reward rather than daily food.
Talking
A handful of words in a small voice, plus whistles. Red-bellies talk better; Meyer's are not bought for speech.
Living with one
Twenty-five to thirty years. A modest cage by parrot standards, foraging toys, and time out daily. They play well alone if given the means, which makes them more realistic for somebody with a job than most parrots this intelligent.
Buying one
Ask how many people have handled the bird and how recently - Poicephalus that meet only one person tend to decide that one person is the only acceptable one. Ask when it weaned and about disease testing. The breeders listed on this page raise Meyer's Parrots and can be contacted directly through the site.