Types of Parrots – Characteristics, Names and Photos

Author: Peter Berry
Date Of Creation: 14 February 2021
Update Date: 26 September 2024
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List of parrots (all 402 species with names and images)
Video: List of parrots (all 402 species with names and images)

Content

Parrots are birds that belong to the order Psittaciformes, composed of species that are distributed throughout the world, particularly in tropical and subtropical areas of South America, Africa, Australia and New Zealand, where there is greater diversity. They represent a group whose characteristics set them apart very well from the rest of the birds, such as their robust, powerful and curved beak that allows them to feed on a wide variety of fruits and seeds, as well as their prehensile and zygodactile legs. On the other hand, they feature plumages with a wide variety of designs, in addition to having a wide variety of sizes. They are among the most intelligent animals and are able to reproduce the human voice, another characteristic that makes them unique birds.


Keep reading this PeritoAnimal article and we'll talk about types of parrots, their characteristics and names.

Parrot Characteristics

These birds form an order with more than 370 species that inhabit tropical and subtropical regions of the planet and are divided into three superfamilies (Strigopidea, Psittacoidea and Cacatuoidea) that differ in traits such as size, plumage color and geographic distribution. They have a wide variety of particular characteristics, as we will see below:

  • paws: they have zygodactile legs, that is, with two fingers forward and two backwards that are also prehensile and allow you to manipulate their food. They are short but robust and with them they can hold the branches of trees firmly.
  • nozzles: Their beaks are strong, thick and end in a pronounced hook, a characteristic that differentiates them from the rest of the birds, as well as their muscular tongue that acts like a sponge when feeding on pollen, for example, or like a finger when they want extract part of the bark from a tree. They have a chat where they partially store the food and then regurgitate its contents for the puppies or for their partner.
  • food: it is very varied and generally consists of fruits and seeds, although some species can supplement their diet with pollen and nectar and others also eat carrion and small vertebrates.
  • Habitats: occupy from coastal deserts, dry forests and humid forests to anthropized environments, such as plantations and crops. There are very generalist species that adapt easily to changes in their environment and others that are more specialists that need very specific environments to develop successfully, a characteristic that makes them very vulnerable and for which many species are threatened.
  • Behavior: the different types of parrots are gregarious birds, that is, they are social and form very large groups, some species even form groups of thousands of individuals. Many species form couples for life, so they are monogamous and build nests in the hollows of trees or abandoned termite mounds, with the exception of the New Zealand Kakapo (Strigops habroptilus), which is the only parrot that does not fly and builds nests on the ground, and the Argentine Monk Parakeet (myiopsittamonachus) that make huge, communal nests using branches. They are known for being one of the smartest groups of birds and for their ability to learn elaborate words and phrases.

Taxonomic classification of parrots

The order of Psittaciformes is divided into three superfamilies which, in turn, have their own classification. Thus, the main types of parrots are classified into the following superfamilies:


  • Strigopidea: includes New Zealand parrots.
  • Cockatoo: includes cockatoos.
  • psittacoid: includes the most popular parrots and other parrots.

Strigopidea superfamily

Currently, there are only four species belonging to this superfamily: kakapo (Strigops haroptitus), kea (Nestor notabilis), South Island kaka (Nestor meridionalis meridionalis) and North Island kaka (Nestor meridionalis spetentrionalis).

The Strigopidea superfamily is divided into two families, which include the types of parrots mentioned:

  • Strigopidae: with the genus Strigops.
  • Nestoridae: with the genus Nestor.

Cacatuidae Superfamily

As we said, this family is composed of cockatoos, so it only includes the Cockatoo family, which has three subfamilies:


  • Nymphicinae: with the genus Nymphicus.
  • Calyptorhynchinae: with the genus Calyptorhynchus.
  • Cacatuinae: with the genera Probosciger, Eolophus, Lophochroa, Callocephalon and Cacatua.

We found species such as the white cockatoo (white cockatoo), the cockatiel (Nymphicus hollandicus) or the red-tailed black cockatoo (Calyptorhynchus banksii).

Psittacoid Superfamily

It is the widest of all, as it includes more than 360 species of parrots. It is divided into three families, each with its different subfamilies and genera:

  • psittacidae: includes subfamilies psittacinae (with the genera Psittacus and Poicephalus) and arinae (with the genera (Anodorhynchus, Ara, Cyanopsitta, Primolius, Orthopsittaca, Diopsittaca, Rhynchopsitta, Ognorhynchus, Leptosittaca, Guaruba, Aratinga, Pyrrhura, Nandayus, Cyanoliseus, Enicognathus, Pionopsipiota Graya, Ognorhynchus, Pionopsitta, Pionopsitta, Forttaclarus, Ali, Pyrion Pionites, Deroptyus, Hapalopsittaca, Touit, Brotogeris, Bolborhynchus, Myiopsitta, Psilopsiagon and Nannopsittaca).
  • psittrichasidae: includes subfamilies psittrichasinae (with the genus Psittrichas) and Coracopseinae (with the genus Coracopsis).
  • psittaculidae: includes subfamilies Platycercine (with the genera Barnardius, Platycercus, Psephotus, Purpureicephalus, Northiella, Lathamus, Prosopeia, Eunymphicus, Cyanoramphus, Pezoporus, Neopsephotus and Neophema), Psittacellinae (with the genus Psittacella), Loriinae (with the genera Oreopsittacus, Charmosyna, Vini, Phigys, Neopsittacus, Glossopsitta, Lorius, Psitteuteles, Pseudeos, Eos, Chalcopsitta, Trichoglossus, Melopsittacus, Psittaculirostris and Cyclopsitta), Agapornithinae (with the genera Bolbopsittacus, Loriculus and Agapornis) and psittaculinae (with the genera Alisterus, Aprosmictus, Polytelis, Eclectus, Geoffroyus, Tanygnathus, Psittinus, Psittacula, Prioniturus and Micropsitta).

In this family we find the typical parrots, so there are species such as the Bourke parakeet (Neopsephotus bourkii), the inseparable-of-gray-faces (lovebirds canus) or the red throat lorikeet (Charmosyna amabilis).

Parrot types can also be sorted by size, as we'll see in the next sections.

Types of small parrots

There are many types of small parrots, so below is a selection of the most representative or popular species.

Pygmy Parrot (Micropsitta pusio)

This species belongs to the superfamily Psittacoidea (family Psittaculidae and subfamily Psittaculinae). 8 to 11 cm long, is the smallest species of parrot that exists. It is a very little studied species, but it is Native to New Guinea, inhabits humid forest areas and forms small groups of about six individuals.

Blue-winged Tuim (Forpus xanthopterygius)

Also known as the blue-winged parakeet, this species is found within the superfamily Psittacoidea (family Psittacidae and subfamily Arinae), measuring approximately 13 cm long, is native to South America and inhabits natural areas open to city parks. It presents sexual dimorphism (unusual trait within the order Psittaciformes), where the male has blue flight feathers and the female is completely green. It is very common to see them in pairs.

Australian parakeet (Melopsittacus undulatus)

Known as australian parakeet, is located within the superfamily Psittacoidea (family Psittaculidae, subfamily Loriinae), is a native species of Australia and is also endemic there, although it has been introduced in many other countries. Measures about 18 cm long and inhabits arid or semi-arid areas to forest or shrub areas. In this species there is sexual dimorphism and the female can be differentiated from the male by the beak wax (flesh that some birds have at the base of the beak), as the females are brown in color, while the male is blue in color.

The Australian parakeet is one of the most popular types of domestic parrots due to its size, character and beauty. However, it must be emphasized that all birds that live in captivity must enjoy flying hours, therefore, it is not advisable to confine them to cages 24 hours a day.

Types of medium parrots

Among the more than 370 types of parrots, we also find medium-sized species. Some of the best known are:

Argentinean steak (myiopsitta monachus)

Medium sized parrot species, measuring about 30 cm long. It belongs to the superfamily Psittacoidea (family Psittacidae and subfamily Arinae). It inhabits South America, from Bolivia to Argentina, however, it was introduced in other countries in America and other continents, which made it turn into a pest, as it has a very short reproductive cycle and lays many eggs. Furthermore, it is a very gregarious species that has community nests shared by several couples.

Filipino Cockatoo (Cockatoo haematuropygia)

This bird is endemic to the Philippines and inhabits low-lying mangrove areas. It is found within the superfamily Cacatuoidea (family Cacatuidae and subfamily Cacatuinae). Reaches about 35 cm long and its white plumage is unmistakable for the pink area it presents under the tail feathers and for the yellow or pink feathers of its head. This species is in danger of extinction due to illegal hunting.

Meet the animals with the greatest risk of extinction in Brazil in this other article.

Yellow-collared Lory (Lorius chlorocercus)

A species included in the superfamily Psittacoidea (family Psittaculidae, subfamily Loriinae). The yellow-collared lory is a species native to the Solomon Islands that occupies moist forests and highland areas. Give me between 28 and 30 cm long and it has a colorful plumage that stands out for showing red, green and yellow, and for having a characteristic black hood on its head. It is a species that is very little studied, but it is assumed that its biology is similar to the rest of the Psittaciformes.

Types of large parrots

We closed the types of parrots sorted by size with the biggest of all. The most popular species are these:

Hyacinth Macaw or Hyacinth Macaw (Anodorhynchus hyacinthinus)

It belongs to the superfamily Psittacoidea (family Psittacidae, subfamily Arinae), is native to Brazil, Bolivia and Paraguay, and is a species of large parrot that inhabits forests and forests. It can even measure over a meter long, being the largest species of macaw. It is a very striking species not only for its size and its tail with very long feathers, but also for its blue color with yellow details around the eyes and beak. It is classified as "Vulnerable" due to the loss of its habitat and illegal trade, in addition to being a species whose biological cycle is very long, as it reaches the reproductive age at 7 years.

Both for its beauty and its intelligence, the hyacinth macaw is another of the most popular types of domestic parrots. However, we must remember that this is a vulnerable species, so it should live in freedom.

Araracanga (macao)

A species of the superfamily Psittacoidea (family Psittacidae, subfamily Arinae), it reaches more than 90 cm long including its tail, which has long feathers, making it one of the largest parrots in existence. It inhabits tropical forests, forests, mountains and lowland areas from Mexico to Brazil. It is very common to see flocks of more than 30 individuals that stand out for their red plumage with wings with blue and yellow accents.

Green macaw (military ara)

This is a slightly smaller macaw than the others, also included within the superfamily Psittacoidea (family Psittacidae, subfamily Arinae), and which affects approximately 70 cm long. It is a species that extends from Mexico to Argentina and occupies forests in a good state of conservation, which is why it is used as a bioindicator of the health and quality of the environments it occupies, as it tends to disappear from degraded habitats. It is classified as “Vulnerable” due to the loss of its habitat. Its plumage is green on the body, with a red detail on the forehead.

Types of talking parrots

In the bird world, there are many orders with species that have the ability to imitate the human voice and to learn, memorize and repeat elaborate words and phrases. Within this group there are many species of parrots that have a marked intelligence and are able to interact with people, as they can even learn phrases and even associate them with meaning. We'll look at some of the types of parrots they talk about next.

Congo or Gray Parrot (Psittacus erithacus)

A species of the superfamily Psittacoidea (family Psittacidae, subfamily Psittacinae), native to Africa that inhabits rainforests and humid savannas. It measures approximately between 30 and 40 cm in length and is very striking for its gray plumage with red tail feathers. It is a species very sensitive to its environment and is, par excellence, the species of talking parrot. has a immense ability to learn words and memorizing them, moreover, has an intelligence comparable to that of a small child.

Precisely because of its intelligence and learning ability, the congo parrot is another of the most popular types of domestic parrots in the world. Again, we highlight the importance of leaving these animals free so they can fly and exercise. Likewise, we encourage you to reflect on bird ownership before proceeding with adoption due to all of the characteristics we mentioned above.

Blue-fronted parrot or real parrot (aestiva Amazon)

Native to South America, this parrot species belongs to the superfamily Psittacoidea (family Psittacidae, subfamily Arinae), inhabits areas of forest and woodland, including periurban areas and plantation areas from Bolivia to Argentina. Is kind of very long life, having records of individuals up to 90 years old. It has a size of about 35 cm and a characteristic plumage on the forehead with blue feathers. Very popular because of its ability to reproduce human voice and can learn a high number of words and long sentences.

Ecletus Parrot (Eclectus roratus)

Species that are distributed in the Solomon Islands, Indonesia, New Guinea and Australia, where it occupies lush forests and forests and mountainous areas. It is included in the superfamily Psittacoidea (family Psittaculidae, subfamily Psittaculinae). Measures between 30 and 40 cm and has a very marked sexual dimorphism, as the male and female differ in the fact that the latter has a red body with details in blue and a black beak, while the male is green and its beak is yellow. When they discovered this species, it led them to think that it was two different species. This species, like the previous ones, is also capable of reproducing the human voice, although it needs more time to learn.

If you want to read more articles similar to Types of Parrots – Characteristics, Names and Photos, we recommend that you enter our Curiosities section of the animal world.