Considering getting a Macaw

[Kaytana22]

I love my tiels.. I have a pair and the male is very smart and he talks/whistles and is very sweet. But I am a stay at home so I have a lot of time to devote to my birds. If you work and are gone most the day, I honestly wouldn't suggest something that requires a lot of out of cage time, or that needs to be handled a lot. Finches/canaries are nice and budgies are also a lot less demanding *still very smart* and in pairs they are wonderful to watch and can be let out of the cage for some play time in the evening. And if you get a big enough cage, they are well suited for apartment life.

I've heard that cockatiels are really, really loud, at least that's what my cousins that had one when they were kids told me. How are they?

If you're in an apartment I would avoid amazons and sun conures (and macaws) they can be very very loud. GCC are a really good and "safe" option. They're not too loud, really affectionate, very smart and easily trained. If not a green cheek you could look out others in the family like crimson bellied, painted, black capped, etc

Edit: Here's a list of all in the same genus as gcc
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pyrrhura

How loud are Suns compared to Green Cheeks? Also do you have any experience with other pyrrhura species? My Green Cheek is not particularly loud, she sometimes gives loud SQUAAWK when content, but most of the time she's pretty quiet.

Cockatiels can be chirpy but the volume is not that bad.
I don't really have experience with non-gcc pyrrhura but theyre all very similar in behavior

LOL they can be loud, I will be honest I have a pair, they can get fairly loud especially the male, but then he whistles and screams. But not as nearly as "Screechy" as the Sun Conure, or Nanday or such birds. The GCC is supposed to be one of the most quiet of conures *or parakeets* out there. Mine is not old enough yet but I figure if you give him/her love and don't spoil them badly. They are generally pretty quiet.