Different Types Of Parrots: Guide To All The Colorful Species

Anamika Balouria
Jan 20, 2023 By Anamika Balouria
Originally Published on Oct 26, 2021
Fact-checked by Pradhanya Rao
Learn facts about different types of parrots to know which parrot species to keep as pets.
?
Age: 3-18
Read time: 8.4 Min

Parrots are a beautiful bird species popular for their comical and mimicry tricks.

Parrots are of different sizes and have colorful feathers. Now you must be wondering what species of parrots must exist.

There are many species of parrots throughout the world. There are 398 species of parrots and they are divided into 92 genera. Parrots belong to the class of Aves and the clade of Psittacopasserae. They are from the order of Psittaciformes.

Parrots were first described by Johann Georg Wagler in 1830. Feathers of parrots are bright green, blue, yellow, gray, red, and orange. A few species of these birds are cockatoos, the hyacinth macaw, rose-breasted cockatoos, African gray parrots, macaws, and the caique.

If you want to own parrots, then you can keep them as pets because these birds are intelligent, smart, and sweet. Many species are also aggressive and are not ideal to be kept as pets.

Almost all species of parrots are monogamous and can easily bond with their partners if kept in a pair. They are not territorial in their behavior, but during the nesting period, they can be aggressive towards you.

Golden parakeets are known for their polygamous nature. The majority of parrot species are listed as Threatened to be extinct by the IUCN.

A parrot usually can live for a minimum of 15 years, and the maximum it can live for is 80 years. Kakapo birds are an example of a bird that can live for a long time.

If you enjoy reading about parrot species, then do read some interesting and surprising fun facts about different types of moths and different types of turtles.

Facts About Parrots

Parrots are intelligent and smart birds known for their imitating behavior. These raucous birds belong to the family of Psittacidae.

Parrots are highly socialized birds that are loved by humans. If you ever had an encounter with a talking parrot, then you must have observed its talking skills. Most of these birds eat fruits, seeds, and insects. Parrots are like other birds and have an omnivorous diet. They feed on fruits as well as worms.

These birds, parrots, are known to live in warm climatic conditions and are found in grasslands, in rainforests, and on islands. The kea parrot is a species of parrot that lives in the cold climatic conditions of New Zealand's alpine region.

Parrots reproduce by laying eggs similar to those of other birds. Once they mate, eggs are laid by the female in the nest and the nest is built up by both parents.

The health of a parrot can easily be known through its activities, because, generally, a healthy parrot will be playful and more friendly towards humans. The size of these birds ranges from 3.5-39 in (8.7-100 cm).

Do all parrots talk?

Yes, parrots can talk to humans. These birds are very intelligent and are quick learners. However, a few species do not even utter a single word.

The pet parrot is called the talking bird and has the ability to learn things quickly. These birds better retain things around them, but a few of the species will not even utter a word because every creature has its own individual abilities.

Parrot species such as Amazon parrots and African gray parrots are well known for imitating human speech.

It is believed that when these birds are kept in pairs, they communicate more in comparison to when they are kept individually.

If you want to keep parrots as pets, then you really need to take care of them, and they will never fail to entertain you with their tricks of talking, rolling on the floor, and sitting on your head or shoulder.

You can even own a parrot with learned vocabulary.

A parrot usually can live for a minimum of 15 years

What colors do parrots come in?

The parrot species is made up of beautiful birds to keep as pets by owners. They have long and short brightly colored feathers which differ among each species. Feather colors include green, red, orange, gray, pink, black, blue, and yellow.

Macaws have long, beautiful feathers of blue and yellow or blue and gold. The Congo African gray parrot is of gray color, while sun conures can be colored yellow, red, orange, and gray.

The sun conure species is native to the land of South America. The eclectus parrot is very unique in its color. The male is bright green and blue in color, while the female is red and blue in color with a black beak.

Cockatoos are not very colorful parrots like other species but have very soft colors such as light pink, gray, and white. Parrots are colorful pet birds that often attract attention because of their attractive looks and smart persona. There are also types of green parrots such as the budgie, the Amazon parrot, and the Quaker parrot.

What are the different types of parrots?

African gray parrots, macaws, parrotlets, parakeets, Puerto Rican parrots, Amazon parrots, eclectus parrots, rosy-faced lovebirds, scarlet macaws, hyacinth macaws, cockatoos, sun conures, rainbow lorikeets, the black-headed caique, hawk-headed parrots, and the rose-breasted cockatoo are all different types of parrots. 

The above mentioned are a few species of parrots which include small parrots and large parrots that are found worldwide but are specific to the native land where they belong. Most species of parrots are intelligent and they can even learn to talk if they are being trained by parrot owners.

The social interaction of parrots with humans is well observed and they are popular pets globally.

The types of small parrots are parakeets, cockatiels, and lovebirds. Medium-sized parrots are the caique, conure parrots, and lorikeets.

Large parrots are Amazon parrots, African gray parrots, eclectus and hawk-headed parrots. There are also extra-large breeds of parrots such as macaws named scarlet macaws and hyacinth macaws. Apart from them, research done on this bird has found that there are some large species of cockatoos.

The cockatiel is a small-sized parrot and is the second most popular pet in America. Due to their small size, they are ideally kept as pets.

The cockatiel is intelligent, smart, and has the ability to sing. Such tricks by these parrots attract people, and cockatiels are loved as pets. These cockatiels can talk to a person if they are trained properly.

Feathers of a cockatiel can be different bright colors such as yellow, gray, orange, and blue. These cockatiels are native to the land of Australia.

Apart from cockatiels, a rosy-faced lovebird and a parakeet are also good at socializing and have brightly colored feathers. The parakeet is known to be a loud bird, and the length of these birds is 10-14 in (26-36 cm).

A sun conure is a medium-sized parrot that needs extra care along with lots of space. Because they are neither long nor short, the sun conure is considered the ideal size for a bird, and can be considered a true parrot.

The sun conure is a loud parrot bird that can live for up to 30 years. Sun conures have many different colors on their feathers and belong to the family of Psittacidae.

The health of these parrots needs to be taken care of as they are more prone to avian viral conditions and so taking time to spend ensuring the health of this bird is important. This pet parrot has a black beak.

Caiques are best known to play around with their owners and are 9 in (23 cm) in length. Caiques are endemic to the Amazon basin in South America. These caiques are bright orange, yellow, and green in color.

Rainbow lorikeets are native to the land of Australia. They are widely distributed in New Zealand, Queensland, and Auckland. The rainbow lorikeet's size is 10-11.8 in (25-30 cm) in length. These parrots have colorful and bright feathers of yellow-orange color.

Juveniles have a black beak, while adults have a red-colored beak. The comical tricks and their ability to mimic certain sounds are well known. They live in groups, and the loud noises of these birds can easily be heard.

The eclectus is a large-sized bird known for its eclectic feathers. The eclectus has bright red, blue, yellow, and green feathers.

The male of the species has a bright orange to yellow colored beak, while the female is red and blue in color with a black beak. The size of the eclectus is 12-14.5 in (31-37 cm) in length. As they are large birds, they need a large cage for a good environment and health.

The hawk-headed parrot bird is good for parrot owners and is considered one of their loyal pets. They sometimes tap on a person with their short, curved black beak.

They are also called red-fan parrots. This bird species is 12-14 in (30-35 cm) in length and weighs around 10.5 oz (300 g). Bright red feathers on their gray heads are similar to those of a hawk, and look like fans and a crown.

They are aggressive in their behavior and will only be suitable for dedicated owners who look after them regularly. They belong to the family of Psittacidae.

A cockatoo belongs to the family of Cacatuidae and is in the category of extra large parrots. The size of the cockatoo is 12-24 in (30-60 cm) in length.

This cockatoo bird species is not that colorful in comparison to other species of parrots, but these birds have beautiful feathers of gray, yellow, white, and pink. There are also other types of green parrots named the budgie, the Amazon parrot, and the Quaker parrot.

Macaws such as the scarlet macaw and the hyacinth macaw are beautiful bird species often recognized by their colorful feathers. They have bright blue and gold feathers or plumage that appears to be blue and yellow in color.

On the edges of their feathers, they have a green color, making them more beautiful. Macaw species are widely distributed throughout America. The macaw parrot is a loud and intelligent bird species.

Here at Kidadl, we have carefully created lots of interesting family-friendly facts for everyone to enjoy! If you liked our suggestions for different types of parrots, then why not take a look at different types of crabs or Cuban Amazon interesting facts for kids?

Facts

We Want Your Photos!
We Want Your Photos!

We Want Your Photos!

Do you have a photo you are happy to share that would improve this article?
Email your photos

More for You

See All

Written by Anamika Balouria

Bachelor of Arts specializing in English, Bachelor of Education specializing in Secondary Education and Teaching, Master of Arts specializing in English

Anamika Balouria picture

Anamika BalouriaBachelor of Arts specializing in English, Bachelor of Education specializing in Secondary Education and Teaching, Master of Arts specializing in English

A dedicated and enthusiastic learner, Anamika is committed to the growth and development of her team and organization. She holds undergraduate and postgraduate degrees in English from Daulat Ram University and Indira Gandhi Institute for Open Learning respectively, as well as a Bachelor of Education from Amity University, Noida. Anamika is a skilled writer and editor with a passion for continual learning and development.
Read full bio >
Fact-checked by Pradhanya Rao

Bachelor of Commerce specializing in Marketing and HR

Pradhanya Rao picture

Pradhanya RaoBachelor of Commerce specializing in Marketing and HR

With a Bachelor’s degree in Commerce from Christ University, Bangalore, Pradhanya's passion for the English language and literature led her to explore the field of content writing, where she has gained extensive experience in writing, reviewing, editing, and fact-checking. She has also earned certifications in Google Ads Search, Google Ads Display, and Social Media Marketing, showcasing her proficiency in digital marketing.

Read full bio >