MH>What I would like to do is "poty train" them. I heard it can be done so am
  >willing to try anything. Thoughts and ideas are welcome.
I have an Amazon (red-lored) and can offer some thoughts. I
found my bird untrainable, but capable of self-training and
certainly capable of self-control.
He will not willingly dump on my head but is less discriminating
about shoulders. If I have him on my shoulder (or head) for a
long period of time (an evening, say) I will be all right as
long as I transfer him to his perch at internals of no longer
than thirty minutes to relieve himself.
A bird should be taught an unambiguous word. In my Amazon's
case it is "plop plop" and I have seen others with words like
"wiggle waggle" which sounds cutesy but is unlikely to be used in
conversation, right?
When I put Toto on his perch I would say "plop plop" and
eventually he got the idea. If I were to say "plop plop" while
he was sitting on my shoulder I'd have to change my shirt. It
makes a nice practical joke on visitors but it can backfire.
The point is that birds can't easily be potty-trained but given
half a chance they will learn by themselves.
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