Parrot lore: In the story Treasure Island, by Robert Louis Stevenson, a parrot accompanied pirate Long John Silver at every moment. Were parrots really associated with pirates? Maybe not, but they are fascinating birds, so it is no wonder parrots appear in children’s stories.
Parrots come in a variety of bright colors, mostly made up of greens, reds, blues, and yellows. There are exceptions, though: the Pesquet’s parrot is black with red trim, and you can probably guess what color the African gray parrot is! There are 279 parrot species in the world that include macaws, keas, lovebirds, parakeets, lorikeets, and kakapos. Although quite different from each other in many ways, these birds all have a curved beak, zygodactyl feet, and generally eat nuts, seeds, fruits, and insects.
Parrots have thick, strong beaks that are perfect for breaking open nuts and seeds with tough coverings. Macaws have such strong beaks that they have been reported to snap through broomstick handles! Zygodactyl feet are also very strong and helpful in holding slippery nuts and fruit.
The world’s largest parrot is the hyacinth macaw, found in South America, at about 40 inches (100 centimeters) long. But its not the heaviest bird in the parrot family: that honor belongs to the kakapo of New Zealand, which can weigh up to 6.6 pounds (3 kilograms), too heavy for its size to fly. The smallest parrots are the pygmy-parrots, which are less than 4 inches (10 centimeters) long, weigh just 0.3 ounces (10 grams), and are found mostly in New Guinea and on nearby islands.
Parrots are popular as pets because they are so outgoing, social, intelligent, and have the ability to “talk.” Although they can make a good pet, some people who buy them may not know where their bird really hatched.
The Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species discourages the pet trade, which often takes parrots out of their natural habitat to sell them as pets. This is dangerous for the birds, as many do not survive the journey from their home to a pet store. It is also dangerous for the new owner, who can be badly bitten or have a hard time teaching the bird. Fortunately, the trade in parrots is slowing down, and some parrot populations are starting to recover.
People who want to have a parrot for a pet need to know that these birds require lots of attention from their owners, they are messy eaters and poopers, and they can be very noisy—especially early in the morning. Your neighbors may not like that! This is a bird that will be around for almost your entire life, living up to 60 years in captivity. Thats a long commitment for a pet owner.
A parrot is a smart bird that can become easily bored in a cage, so make sure, if you are thinking about getting one, that you really have the time and patience for one. If the bird does not receive enough affection, enrichment, and exercise, it will become aggressive and destructive, even plucking its own feathers if it is bored or unhappy.
African gray parrots are popular because they are known to “talk.” Although they do not know what they are saying most of the time, they are excellent at mimicking hundreds of sounds in their surroundings. In ttheir native habitats, however, these parrots, like most others, do not imitate noises around them. African gray parrots live in tropical and subtropical forests and woodlands in Africa. Like many of their relatives, they are frequently found in flocks of 20 to 30 birds. They are not yet endangered, although habitat destruction and the illegal sale of birds as pets are starting to take a toll on the population.
Most parrots live in warm climates, although not all: thick-billed parrots, maroon-fronted parrots, and keas live in snowy alpine areas and are even referred to as snow birds. Parrots that dont live in areas with trees use cacti, termite mounds, or rocky outcrops to make their home. Thick-billed parrots are one of the few parrots that once lived in the US; now they are found only in northern Mexico. The Carolina parakeet was another US native; sadly, by the 1920s, it was extinct.
Parrots are very social birds and live in large groups called flocks, sometimes up to 1,000 birds! Living in a flock helps parrots watch out for predatory birds, but it’s also fun to have someone else to talk to! Parrots are known for being very vocal: squawks, screams, and screeches can be heard from faraway in the forests. These calls are used to keep track of each other.
Most parrots are seed eaters. They all have strong jaws to help the bird crack open hard nuts and seeds. In forested areas, parrots feed high in the trees, coming to the ground only to drink. Keas have a long, narrow bill that is used to dig up insects from the ground, pry bark from trees, and scrape meat from bones. Thick-billed and maroon-fronted parrots feed on pinecone seeds in their alpine habitat. The kakapo chews on stems and leaves, swallowing the juices for food.
Numerous parrots are monogamous. They usually woo their mates with vocalizations and tail displays. Parrot eggs resemble chicken eggs, and the parents take turns sitting on the eggs, although the mother spends more time doing this than the father.
Chicks are almost completely naked when they hatch, except for a thin layer of down feathers on the back. Their eyes are closed until they are about two weeks old, and at three weeks, the chicks adult feathers start to appear. These feathers are so thin and pointy that they are called pinfeathers. The mother is the one that stays with the babies while the father goes off to get food for the family for the next month or so, until the chicks fly off on their own.
One quarter of the world’s parrots are threatened with extinction, due to a combination of habitat destruction and trapping for the pet trade.
The pinecone-eating, thick-billed parrot is a prime example. San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance participates in the Species Survival Plan for this bird and collaborates in the field with local scientists in Mexico, where we are conducting a population census, monitoring disease, collecting data on chicks, and analyzing food sources. We also contributed funds for the acquisition of 555 hectares of mountainous habitat in Mexico to create a reserve crucial for the welfare of the maroon-fronted parrot, another pinecone-dependent parrot.
By supporting San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance, you are our ally in saving and protecting wildlife worldwide.
There are 21 species of cockatoos in the family Catuidae, which are found in Australia, New Guinea, and adjacent islands. The group includes the cockatiel (Nymphicus hollandicus), a smaller bird. Each has a crest and large beaks for breaking through seeds and nuts. The psittaciforms have nothing to do with the so-called sea parrot (see puffin).
The family Psittacidae numbers 333 species. The largest subfamily is Psittacinae, or “true” parrots, whose members can be found in warm climates all over the world. These birds, which consume seeds, buds, some fruits, and insects, have blunt tongues. Although many people in the subfamily just refer to them as parrots, some subgroups have more specialized names like macaw, parakeet, conure, and lovebird.
The Australian night parrot, also known as the night parakeet (Geopsittacus occidentalis), was believed to be extinct for many years until a dead one was discovered in 1990. It sleeps under a tussock during the day and feeds on the seeds of spinifex grass at night. Its tunnel leads to a twig platform in a bush that serves as its nest. The ground parrot, also known as the ground parakeet (Pezoporus wallicus), is likewise uncommon. In the wastelands of western Tasmania and coastal southern Australia, there are uncommon local populations. It was once hunted with dogs. It runs through the grass, flushes like a quail, and makes an abrupt, deceptive pitch. Its nest is a leaf-lined depression beneath a bush, and it consumes seeds and insects. Subscribe to Britannica Premium to access content that’s only available to subscribers.
Among the hardest-working parrot species is the monk, or green, parakeet (Myiopsitta monachus). Although it is native to South America, some of it has escaped from captivity in the US and is currently making nests in multiple states. Its large stick nest is unique among psittaciforms. Among this subfamily’s other noteworthy parrots are the hanging parrots (Loriculus), which sleep on their backs like bats. Small, short-tailed South American birds called caiques (Pionites) resemble conures in appearance and behavior.
The male African gray parrot (Psittacus erithacus) is the best talker; he can mimic human speech perfectly. When compared to other parrots, captive birds are observant and generally well-mannered. Some are said to have lived 80 years. With the exception of its bare, white face and square, red tail, the bird is about 33 cm (13 inches) long and light gray in color. The sexes appear to be similar. Common in rainforests, gray parrots consume fruits and seeds, causing damage to crops but also serving as important oil palm propagators.
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African gray parrots are favored for their ability to “talk.” Even though they frequently don’t understand what they are saying, they are very good at mimicking hundreds of sounds from their environment. However, these parrots, like the majority of others, do not mimic sounds in their natural environments. African tropical and subtropical forests and woodlands are home to African gray parrots. Similar to numerous relatives, they are commonly observed in groups of 20 to 30 birds. Although habitat loss and the illegal sale of birds for pet purposes are beginning to have an impact on the population, they are not yet endangered.
Parrots exhibit a wide range of vivid hues, primarily composed of green, red, blue, and yellow tones. There are 279 parrot species in the world, including macaws, keas, lovebirds, parakeets, lorikeets, and kakapos. The Pesquet’s parrot is black with red trim, and you can probably guess what color the African gray parrot is. These birds are quite different from one another, but they all have curved beaks, zygodactyl feet, and typically consume fruits, nuts, seeds, and insects.
Due to habitat destruction and trapping for the pet trade, 25% of the world’s parrot population faces extinction.
When they hatch, chicks are nearly entirely naked save for a thin covering of down feathers on their backs. Their eyes remain closed until approximately two weeks of age, at which point the adult feathers of the chicks begin to emerge at three weeks. These feathers are known as pinfeathers because they are incredibly thin and sharp. For the next month or so, until the chicks take off on their own, the mother stays with the babies while the father leaves to get food for the family.
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