Guide to Types of Parrots

The parrot clan is made of 350 parrot species and sub-species including birds such as macaws, cockatoos, parakeets and lovebirds. While a diverse species, similarities exist throughout the birds as well. All parrots are omnivores and eat a diet consisting of fruit, flowers, buds, nuts, seeds and insects. The species' characteristics are curved beaks and the birds are zygodactyls. Zygodactyls means they have four toes on each foot, two pointing forward and two pointing backward.



The macaw is the most common parrot pet choice out of the species. Not all parrots are suited to be pets.

  1. Macaws

    • Seventeen species of macaws exist, and several are endangered. Their vibrant plumage and sleek build create an attractive scenery. Macaws are intelligent, social birds that live in flocks of 10 to 30 birds in the wild. The birds squawk to communicate within their flock, mark territory and to identify one another. Some macaws can even mimic human speech!

    Parakeet

    • The bird known as the parakeet in the U.S. is known throughout the world as a budgie or budgerigar. The word parakeet means "long tail," and is justified as parakeets have long tempered tails. They are one of the smallest species of parrot. Parakeets have a lifespan of 8 to 10 years. They come from diverse habitats throughout the world, in areas such as Australia, Asia, tropical and sub-tropical regions of Africa, central America and South America.

    Cockatiels

    • The cockatiel is the smallest sub-species of the cockatoo. It is also referred to as the quarrion or the weiro. Native to the outback regions of Australia, this feisty bird loves to interact with humans when in captivity. However, they require constant attention when they are pets due to their natural tendency to live in pairings.

    Conures

    • Conures are medium-sized birds typically featuring green, yellow and white plumage. All wild conures live in Central and South America. They are often referred to as the "clown parrot" due to their constant attention-seeking behavior - including hanging upside-down and swaying back and forth. Conures live in flocks of 20 or more birds and only eat grains.