Parrots of the World

Parrot Families

All parrots of the world belong to the order Psittaciformes. In that order there are two different families: Cacatuidas and Psittacidae. Cockatoos belong in the first family, while the second includes all the true parrots of the world.

Each family of parrots has subfamilies within it, and subspecies within that. Macaws, for example, belong to the Psittacidae family. Macaws are a subfamily group. Among macaws, there are at least 17 members:

* Hyacinth

* Glaucous Macaw

* Lear’s Macaw

* Spix’s Macaw

* Blue and Yellow Macaw, or Blue and Gold Macaw

* Caninde Macaw

* Military Macaw

* Buffon’s Macaw

* Scarlet Macaw

* Green-winged Macaw

* Red-fronted Macaw

* Yellow-collared Macaw

* Chestnut-fronted Macaw, or Severe Macaw

* Red-bellied Macaw

* Illiger’s Macaw

* Blue-headed Macaw

* Red-shouldered Macaw

Most Popular

People differ in their opinions of which parrots are more well-liked. Some look at the trendy parrots. Others consider the most prevalent in the pet stores. Some speak of which is more popular in this country or that, but of all the parrots of the world, the 5 most often dubbed popular are these.

1. Parakeets: The common Parakeet, Budgerigar to be more precise, is from Australia, and is often chosen as a pet for children or those who are beginners at bird care, partly due to its low price. Colorful little “Budgies” are hardy, require little space, and are much lower maintenance than larger birds. They are very intelligent, and although content to whistle or sing quietly, some do learn a few words. The name “Budgerigar” comes from the Australian Aboriginal name for the parrot. It means “good eating” but most “Budgie” owners would be horrified to hear you say so. Among the many parrots of the world, this is probably the least expensive in both initial and upkeep costs.

2. Cockatiels: Another Australian species, these medium sized parrots are known for sophisticated whistling and singing. While they can be taught to speak, many people find that the birds would rather whistle, and mimic random sounds, such as a ringing cell phone. A disadvantage to the cockatiel is that it uses a powdery substance to keep its wings water-proof, so owners often find their fingers dusty after handling the bird.

3. Sun Conures: Among the parrots of the world, Sun Conures are one of the brightest. Their plumage is red, orange, yellow, blue, and green. Sun Conures have been known to talk well, but beware! These parrots often screech and scream rather than talk. Their 12 inch length means they will require a smaller cage than larger parrots, but you and your family may require earplugs. If you train your Sunnie to lower its voice, you will enjoy its antics, as these parrots tend to be playful.

4. Parrotlets: Parrotlets, especially Pacific Parrotlets, are one of the smallest known parrots of the world – about 4 inches in length! They are also one of the most pernicious and spunky of all the parrots of the world. These tiny parrots learn to talk in a voice that sounds like that of a robot. This tiny voice, their size, and the fact that they do not scream, make them ideal for those who need a quiet companion.

5. African Greys: African Grey Parrots are probably the most intelligent of the parrots of the world, and indeed, of all birds. These parrots are not as colorful as some. They are mainly grey, as the name implies. They do have a bright red or maroon tail, though, depending on the subspecies. African Greys excel at mimicry, sometimes learning as many as 1-2000 words. They learn other sounds, too, and may quickly learn to imitate a jet engine if you walk through an airport with them. Among the many parrots of the world, these may be the most demanding. Just like your toddler, these birds get bored and want their owners to provide entertainment. If you are looking for an intellectual, loyal, and affectionate parrot, the African Grey is probably a good choice.

How Many Different Parrots Are There?

All told, parrots of the world number more than 350 different species and subspecies! Due to loss of habitat, climate changes, hunting, and the trade in live birds as pets, some parrots have become extinct. Others are listed as threatened, or are on the “endangered species” list.

Life Expectancy

People who purchase a parrot, purchase a commitment that is likely to continue throughout their lives and beyond. Most parrot owners are already 20 years old or more, and parrots themselves often have a life expectancy of more than 50 years. Some live to be nearly 100 years old. Added to that long life expectancy, many parrots of the world tend to bond with a single person. If that person breaks the bond in some way, the parrot may die.

Before you ask a parrot to be your companion, think it through carefully. The bird may outlive you.

By: Anna Hart

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Find Out Everything About The Parrots Of The World

Parrots have always been very popular birds because of their interesting behavior and bright appearance. Nowadays parrots of the world include a lot of types. Each type is unique either for its color, or size, or ability to be trained and taught to speak. The parrots native land is mainly tropical woods of South America, Australia, New Zealand and South-West Asia.

Why Parrots Are Interesting?

Parrots appearance is most interesting due to color. In fact, parrots are considered to be the most colorful type of birds. Plumage of a parrot may have various colors – red, yellow, dark blue, black, white, but the most popular color is green. Usually parrots of the world have all shades of green color, and just a few types have not.

Other remarkable features of parrots are massive beaks and paws. The beak has such important functions as crushing nutshells and supporting the bird during climbing up the trees. The paws of a parrot seem short and clumsy, but actually these are very flexible parts of body. Paws help parrots to hold on branches and to eat. You see, parrots fingers are so amazingly plastic, that a parrot can successfully keep in paws a walnut as well as an oat.

Usually the most famous parrots of the world may be seen in zoos. We can frequently find cockatoos and there a type of parrots that were first brought from Australia or the islands of the Indian Ocean. These are large white, pink or black birds with a crest on the head. Other outstanding parrots of the world are macaws that came from South America and are popular for their length equal to meter or more. African Grey parrot is the best chatterer among parrots of the world. One African Grey parrot is known for managing to learn 800 English words! Budgerigars, Australian parrots with a long tail, are considered to be the best bird pets because they are rather easy to maintain they are not large, not too noisy and may be trained successfully.

The Reasons Why Rare Types of Parrots Disappear

Unfortunately, parrots allure has provoked to extermination of many rare kinds of these birds. People extirpate a huge amount of parrots, especially large ones, for their tail feathers, which are sold to the tourists afterwards. Also, parrot collectors, who are ready to pay any sum of money to get a rare kind, make the most beautiful and rare parrots of the world disappear.

Another reason is black markets where parrots are sold illegally. Many parrots perish during transportation, and if even they manage to reach their final owner they usually suffer very much from inappropriate climatic conditions and lack of proper care.

But, perhaps, the main reason of parrots disappearance is severe felling of tropical woods. Irresponsible organizers of that regard tropics as means of getting profit, and they do not realize that thus they harm to flora and fauna. Parrots inhabitancy gets destroyed, birds feel lack of forage and are constantly under stress because of necessity to change a place of habitat.

The World of Pet Parrots : Important Information

In the world today there are hundreds of pet parrot species. Many of which can be brilliant companions. For the sake of confusion I will include anything parrot like into the category of parrots, e.g. Parakeets. The most popular parrots are often budgies and cockatiels, but if you are looking for something different, there are many more to choose from.

Being the most popular pet bird, a budgie is a great pet for children or people who don’t have the time and money to care for a larger bird. They are cheap to buy and they require only a small/medium sized cage. Budgies can learn to talk although this is rather difficult, but they can be trained to do small tasks. Many owners like to keep them in an aviary or in a larger cage with many more budgies. They live for about 10 years.

Cockatiels are slightly larger and may require slightly more care and attention. It is said that they belong either to the crested parrot family or the cockatoo family. They require a medium sized cage and are quite cheap to buy. They live for about 20 years so a long term commitment is required.

Cockatoos are much larger birds and are very difficult to handle if you aren’t experienced. They must be trained carefully because an out-of-control cockatoo is a recipe for disaster, for instance their large beaks could cause serious damage to the hands or even the face of a human. They require a large cage and lots of attention because they are intelligent birds; as well as a large buying cost. Possibly the most important thing to consider when buying a cockatoo is lifespan as many cockatoos can live well over 80 years.

Macaws are very popular in the large parrot category as they are intelligent, colourful and fun to play with. They require huge amounts of attention to keep them entertained as well as to prevent feather-plucking which is often very hard to cure. Smaller macaws, like the Hahn’s Macaw, are often bought as pets because they aren’t as high-maintenance as some of the bigger macaws, but beware as all macaws will need a large amount of commitment and care throughout their life, as they live 30-70 years depending on the species.

Conures are very popular as medium sized parrots. They again require a large cage and lots of attention and commitment. They are often seen to be like small macaw species, but conures tend to be cheaper, louder and possibly need slightly less attention. Conures usually live to about 25 years.

African Greys are probably the most popular large parrot species. They again require just as much attention and care as the other large parrots. They cost in between the large macaws and the small macaws and conures. They like many of the other large parrots bond strongly to their carer. African Greys also are known for their excellent ability to mimic nearly everything they hear without training. They often live to about 50 years.

Amazons are also reasonably popular. They are fun and social birds but need huge amounts of attention throughout their long lifespan, about 70 years. It is very important to think well before buying one as they live very long lives. There are 27 species of Amazon parrots that come from South America and the Caribbean. Again, a huge cage is essential for these birds.

Lovebirds are small and very popular pets that, surprisingly for their size, need lots of attention, for this reason, it is generally paired with another lovebird to give it the attention and love it needs. They can however be cared for on their own however they need lots of care. They are originally from African and live usually under 20 years.

There are some other parrot species, although they are usually less popular: Quaker parrots, other parakeets, Parrotlets, Senegal Parrot, Eclectus Parrot and more. It is very important to think about the lifespan and attention needed when deciding on a parrot species. Why not read some books about parrot species and care or look over the internet for some more information about each species. If you have already decided on a parrot species, why not look up Names 4 Pets for some pet naming ideas. Good luck on getting a parrot!

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The World of Parrots

What wonderful creatures parrots are, with their super friendly nature and their ability to talk, they really are the perfect pet. There are so many different types of parrots to choose from, so it is important to know what you are looking for before you decide to head down to the pet store and pick one out.

The first thing you should look for when buying a parrot is whether it has clear eyes or not. This is very important because you do not want to have to care for a blind parrot in ten years time. Parrots can pick up infections very easily so make sure his or her eyes are clean and clear. This is very important!

Another thing to check for is the parrots level of activeness. If you notice that a parrot is sleeping every time a person walks past the cage, thats a sure-fire signal to say that that parrot is not a good choice for a pet. Look for the ones that are making noise regularly and that are constantly awake to peoples gestures.

Look for parrots with clean nostrils. This is very important as you do not want to buy a parrot with breathing problems and have to pay vet bill after vet bill just to keep him or her alive. This is one of the most important rules when choosing parrots so take it seriously.

Also ask the pet shop employee if you can check each parrots breastbone. If one has a sharp breastbone, do not buy it. Look for the ones with smooth breastbones. This is a golden rule for buying a new parrot.

Another thing to look out for is how puffy the parrot is. If you notice one that can hardly move because its feathers are too puffy, stay away. Instead try to find one that has smooth unruffled feathers. These are usually the parrots that are more active as well! Also check to see how many feathers each parrot is shedding. You do not want to get a parrot that is constantly shedding its features all the time. Most parrots shed feathers but some more than others so choose wisely.

If you follow these golden rules when buying parrots from the local pet store, then you are more than likely to enjoy many years of great happiness and success being the owner of a beautiful, healthy and charming pet parrot.