Pete,
  ...well you have found the worst of the books, now  go to a large book store for some of the best.  A pet store or 
place that carries magazine should have Bird Talk.  Soon it will be time for 
bird shows, since it's getting warmer outside.  
   Another thing to remember:  only 10% of all birds are kept by their 
original owners .  Usually it 
occurs because the new owner has expectations of the bird that the bird 
annot
fullfill.  You probably know all the really wonderful things about birds, but 
let me clue you in the the not so nice aspects that can turn off some people. 
The birds are noisy, messy, time consuming, expensive, and destructive.  You 
need to choose well, as what one person may say is the best bird to have, 
another will tell you that it would be the worst bird they ever had....like 
kids, not all are the same.  Not all birds that are supposed to talk, end up 
talking when or as much as you might like....will you be willing to keep the 
bird even if it doesn't talk?  What about if you're single now...would you 
keep the bird if you got married, and the bird didn't like your new wife?  If 
you moved to another location, would you keep the bird ?  Do you have room 
or
a cage large enough for the bird you want ?  My suggestion for this is, buy your cage first after you 
have decided on a bird, and then get the bird.  That way you will have what 
you need when you bring the bird home.
    I know these are a lot of things to consider, but you have to figure, 
hat
birds will outlive us, and it IS a lifelong commitment !!
                                         Patti
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