There are more than 350 species of parrots, according to the Integrated Taxonomic Information System (ITIS). Most parrots are members of the Cacatuidae (cockatoos) or Psittacidae (real parrots) families.
Unfortunately, many of these species became extinct because of habitat destruction and over-trapping due to the pet trade.
The prime species that occur and can be kept as pets include conures, macaws, amazon parrots, Eclectus, Pionus, cockatoos, greys, and lovebirds.
You can also consider cockatiels, budgerigars, caiques, parakeets, and Poicephalus species as your pet birds for amusement and ultimate joy.
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1. Eclectus
The Eclectus parrots are among the few sexually dimorphic parrots. This means the male and female parrots have distinct appearances. The male parrot species have a green color with red and blue accents. However, the female ones have purple-blue and red feathers.
Quick Overview
- Length: 17-20 inches
- Weight: 13-19 ounces
- Wingspan: 890 mm (for females) and 900 mm (for males)
- Physical Features: Emerald green, red-blue under wings with orange beak (Male parrots). Bright red and blue chest and tail, with black beak (female parrots)
- Habitat: Sumba, Moluccas, Solomon Islands, New Guinea and the North-Eastern side of Australia
2. Sun Conure
Sun conures have a kind of the whole rainbow on their body. They have red, yellow, and orange colored heads, chests, and wings with green and blue tails and feathers. They have a loud voice, and their call can be heard miles away.
Quick Overview
- Length: 12 inches
- Weight: 4-5 ounces
- Wingspan: 5-6 inches
- Physical Features: Black feet and beak, white circles around eyes, green and blue feathers with Bright orange, yellow, and red body
- Habitat: Some part of northeastern South America: the north Brazilian Roraima state, southern Guyana, southern Suriname, and south French Guiana
3. Macaw Parrots
Macaws are not single species but are a group of 17 species. Macaws are beautiful-looking birds with large beaks, long tails and bright feathers with white or light facial patches. Most of these species are friendly, giant and noisy.
Quick Overview
- Length: 2-3 foot
- Weight: 2.3 lbs
- Wingspan: more than one meter (3.3 feet)
- Physical Features: long tempered tails, bare facial patch, heavy bills
- Habitat: Central America, Mexico, Caribbean. Most of the species are primarily found in forests, specifically rainforests. However, others prefer woodland or savannah-like habitat
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4. Amazon Parrots
Amazon parrots are among the prominent bird species that are kept as pets. They comprise 34 different species of parrots. As they are big, thus require a large cage and plenty of room to play exercise and play.
They are intelligent pets that become bored if left to their toys. Therefore, Amazon parrots are recommended for those who love to play with pets and can spend a long time interacting and socializing with them.
Quick Overview
- Length: White-fronted Amazon is the smallest Amazon parrot species: 10 inches long
- Mealy Amazon is the largest Amazon parrot species: 16 inches long
- Weight: 275 – 510 grams. On average: 400 – 430 grams
- Wingspan: On average 20 inches
- Physical Features: Sticky birds with short and round tails, plumage is primarily green in color with color markings in various species
- Habitat: They live in a variety of different ecosystems, including forest, rainforests, woodlands, and savannas
5. Cockatoos
Cockatoos comprise 21 species. Its common species in captivity are larger Moluccan (salmon-crested), sulfur-crested cockatoo, and umbrella (white) cockatoos.
In contrast, the small-sized cockatoos that can keep in captivity are Goffin’s cockatoo, the lesser sulfur-crested cockatoo, and the citron-crested cockatoo.
The cockatoos are lively and cuddly and tend to be closer to their owners. This species of parrot are not talkative but have decent speech capability. But, they can mimic many words at any sound on repeat practice.
Quick Overview
- Length: 30 – 60 cm (12–24 inches)
- Weight: 300 – 1,200 grams (0.66–2.65 lb)
- Wingspan: 20 – 30 inches
- Physical Features: Generally black, grey and white, with many species having small splotches of yellow, pink, and red on the crest and tail area.
- Habitat: Mostly occur in Australia and Oceania islands, including Malaysia, Philippines, Solomon, and Eastern Indonesian islands of Wallacea to New Guinea.
6. Pionus
Pionus are excellent pets with 11 collective species. Some are rarely kept in captivity, while the most commonly kept species are Blue-headed, Maximillian, and White-Capped.
The Pionus parrots are similar in appearance to the Amazon parrots. But can be distinguished from Amazon parrots by tails.
Quick Overview
- Length: Upto 12 inches
- Weight: 200 – 300 grams
- Wingspan: Almost 18 inches
- Physical Features: Olive green body color with blue, white, red and green accents. Its common species have red feathers under the tail
- Habitat: Mostly occur in a wide area of Central and South America. They also happily live in forests, savannas and mountains
7. Lovebirds
This type of parrot don’t have the ability to talk like a human; they do not mimic them. Love birds comprise nine species, and they all belong to the genus Agapornis.
Only a few of them can be kept as pets: the peach-faced, masked and Fischers. It is recommended to keep them as pets in pairs.
Quick Overview
- Length: 13 to 17 centimeters.
- Weight: 40 to 60 grams.
- Wingspan: 24 cm with 9cm single winspan.
- Physical Features: Green plumage with a rose forehead, cheeks, throat, and a bright blue rump.
- Habitat: Mainly forests and savannas of Saharan Africa and Madagascar.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is the most common parrot?
Parakeet parrots are among the most common parrots. They also include Macaws, Caiques, and Amazon parrots. Parakeet means long tail. These parrots are medium-sized with long and tapered tail feathers.
What breed of parrot is the friendliest?
Following parrots are considered as friendly and social as compared to other species:
- Lovebirds
- Budgies
- Conures
- Caiques
- Canaries & Finches
- Cockatiels
Which is the most expensive parrot?
Hyacinth Macaw is known as the ‘Rolls Royce’ of parrots. It’s the most expensive parrot, and the price ranges from $7000 to $14000 depending on its characteristics.
Hyacinth Macaw has a significant life span of around 60-70 years. They have expensive accommodation as well! They must be kept in big cages and toys of their choice to keep them happy!
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I’m Amna, and I absolutely adore birds, especially parrots. I’ve been immersed in the world of these colorful feathered friends for over 10 years. While I’m not a bird doctor, I’ve gathered a wealth of knowledge on how to care for and understand them.
My experiences extend to various bird species like parrots, macaws, cockatoos, canaries, and finches. In addition to my personal adventures with birds, I’ve dedicated time to volunteering at a local bird rehabilitation center.
My true passion lies in sharing what I know about parrots and birds with you. Through my articles, I aim to share the information you need to provide the very best care for your avian companions. So, let’s embark on this journey together and make your feathered friends’ lives as joyful and healthy as possible!