I've had some fun with a Sun Conure, an extremely personable little bird. This is the kind of bird that will crawl under your covers and fall asleep on its back in the crook of your arm.
It can be kind of noisy, but it was nothing that really bothered me.
Also, this bird was trained to poop when held over a trash can. Nifty, eh?
I believe a Sun Conure can be had from a breeder for about $300.
Check out this link for more info:
http://www.birdsnways.com/wisdom/ww25eiv.htm