What Are Blue Parrots?

Blue parrots are parrots with predominantly blue plumage. Parrots are birds from the family Psittacidae that are native to warm climates. They have curved beaks and are zygodactyls, which means they have four toes on each foot; two point forward and two point backward. They are long lived, highly intelligent and come in a variety of colors and patterns. For most birds, feathers appear blue not because of pigmentation but because of the way light falls on the feathers.

  1. Hyacinth Macaw

    • The hyacinth macaw, at about 40 inches long, is the largest parrot. It is blue all over save for a bit of yellow at the lower mandible and around the eye. It is native to southern Brazil and western Bolivia where it roosts in palm trees near swamps, rivers and lakes. Hyacinth macaws are usually found in pairs or small family groups, and the female is smaller than the male. As a pet, it's gentle and affectionate with its owner but can be aggressive toward strangers. Its huge beak has a biting pressure of around 300 lbs. per square inch. It's prone to destroy its perches, which have to be replaced regularly. It eats fruit and grains and can be taught to speak. The hyacinth macaw is a rare and protected species.

    The Bronze Winged Parrot

    • The bronze winged parrot is about 11 inches long, and mostly navy blue, though it has a white patch on its throat, its forehead feathers have pink edges and the coverts under the tail are red. The bird has a pink ring around its eyes whose color deepens during the breeding season. The bronze wing parrot is native to the mountain forests of northwestern Venezuela, western Colombia, Ecuador and northwestern Peru. It lives in pairs or small flocks. As pets, bronze winged parrots are rather nervous and might preen each other's heads to the point where the feathers take a long time to grow back. They also eat fruits and grains and can be taught to speak.

    The Scarlet Chested Parrot

    • The scarlet chested parrot is an 8 1/2 inch bird with a sea blue head and neck, blue green wings with bright blue and black markings, a green tail with yellow and black markings. The male has a yellow underside with red throat and chest -- the female's throat and chest are yellow. The bird is native to dry scrubland in New South Wales and northern parts of south Australia. It's rare in the wild but now and then large flocks can be seen feeding on the ground. The bird can sing, and gets along with other birds. It eats grains and insects, as well as commercial egg or soft foods.

    The Turquoise Parrot

    • The turquoise parrot or turquoisine is an 8 1/2 inch parrot with a sky blue head, wings and feathers. It has a yellow and green tail and the males have red on the wings. The turquoisine also lives in pairs or small flocks in grassland and open woods and comes out at twilight. They're native to New South Wales, Australia. Like the scarlet chested parrot it sings and eats grains, insects, eggs and soft foods.