My parents have parrots, and I lived with them for four years. Really nice pets, very clever, and they can show some affection. It's true that they can get depressed in a cage, but in my case they can fly freely in the house, and they have an aviary for them in the garden that is connected to the house by a window.
I disagree. But I'm a cat person, so you're probably not surprised. The bond is different but neither is superior. That said, I'm strongly against novelty pets (birds, snakes, tigers). I think it's dangerous and stupid, and most of these animals either never bond, like snakes, or are poorly suited to typical pet conditions, like parrots (who get depressed in a cage) and wild/big cats. Cats and dogs make great pets and most animals don't.
I agree with the rest of what you're saying.