Top 10 Most Popular Types of Parrots

Parrots are becoming more and more popular as pets in captivity. People love to train them and teach them tricks and to speak phrases. In the wild, these birds have been admired because of their beauty, intelligence, and outgoingness. They have similar characteristics as humans, as they replicate human words and sounds. Parrots have very childlike behavior and thinking, with some behavioral scientists demonstrating they have the intelligence and communication skills of a 3 year old. This is why these birds make fantastic companions and pets.

There are many kinds of parrot types in the animal kingdom with varieties based on size, shape, and feather colors. The following outlines the top 10 most popular types as pets and in the wild:

1.) Parakeets - Parakeet parrots are known by their long tails, and tend to be a more favored parrot type compared to the Cockatiel for example. Known as a small parrot, the parakeet has bright feather colors. Their behavior is typically energetic and they crave human interaction.

2.) Cockatiels - Cockatiels are smaller parrot types typically identified by their notable head and tail feathers. Males have great speaking abilities, while the female Cockatiels are quieter, but are more aggressive. The females also are more likely to bite and hiss. The Cockatiels are good pets in captivity, as they are very sociable and love to interact.

3.) Lorries & Lovebirds - These birds are from South America and have been an inspiration to many as they are extremely peaceful birds with bright feather colors. They do not require much space, are able to maintain great health, and love to be with other parrots.

4.) Conures - The Conures are more playful birds that are large parakeets, which have a slightly smaller build with longer tails. These parrots are from Central and South America, and have friendly personalities, sometimes leading to louder squawks.

5.) Macaws -These birds are mostly recognized for their large frame and bright rainbow colored feathers and beaks. Originating from the tropical regions of South and Central America, the macaw shows great intelligence with fantastic speaking abilities.

6.) Amazon -Also known as green parrots (since most have an overwhelming green feather color), Amazon parrots are very smart, talkative, and friendly. These parrots are easier to train than other parrots, and can duplicate the human voice of their owner.

7.) Cockatoo -Most known by their standing head crest and arched bills, these parrots types are larger than many other parrots but have less color in their feathers. These parrots are both friendly and talkative with frequent squawking and screaming.

8.) Caiuges - This parrot type is regarded as both smart and attractive in the parrot world. These parrots have an array of different feather colors, and have been referred to as the seven-colored parrot from their vast feather colors.

9.) Poicephalus Parrots -Originally from Africa, these birds are usually on the shy side but have endearing personalities. Ranging in size from small to medium, this parrot type demonstrates good and social behavioral traits.

10.) Parrotlets - These types are also known for their smaller size. With energetic, enjoyable, and courteous attributes, they can duplicate human voice and words, but are harder to understand. In the wild, these birds travel in flocks.

Parrots can be a fun and rewarding pet to own and care for. It is important to ensure your parrot receives proper training and love with much time devoted to their parrot. Remember this is a long term commitment, since parrots can live literally decades.

Bird Cages For All Hookbills

Parrots and all Hook bills make great Pets, with proper care and personal interaction make a fun and entertaining addition to your family. My Brother has an African Grey Parrot, who is very smart and has a large vocabulary. They are native to Africa, and you should have the proper size cage which is usually a 36x28, my brother has a 40x30 size for his African Grey Parrot, he also has a play stand which is perfect for exercise and time out of the cage to spread his wings and to interact with you and the family.

My Brothers African Grey sounds just like his voice when he speaks,they have the most human sounding voice of all the parrots. The most important thing to remember is to have their wings clipped so they wont injure themselves if they fly from their perch, and keep their nails clipped and their beaks trimmed which they can do themselves if they have the cuttle bone and pumice stone perch. I had a Cockatiel which was a beautiful bird who had rosy checks and they are native to Australia, they are very smart and loving I taught mine to say a few words, he became part of our family. I had parakeets who mated and had their young in our cage at home, we watched as the male fed the female as she sat on the eggs, and we watched the young hatch, and explore their new surroundings it was a wonderful experience for my whole family.

Just remember cage size is important, finding an Avian veterinarian, a varied diet, and do not give your birds a treat that you think is good for you before checking to see what foods are toxic to your Bird, example: my Daughter enjoys avocados, very toxic to birds, check with experienced sources on toxic plants and foods. Here is a little information which can be helpful, Finches are small birds and enjoy the company of each other, so have more than one in a cage, Love Birds should always be in pairs, Canaries can sing a melodious song that you can enjoy..... enjoy the beauty of the Macaws who are gentle and affectionate, my Daughter has a Macaw, he has bonded with her and the family, but he requires a lot of attention at times, her friend has an Eclectus who loves his toys and has a very soft fur and is very quiet compared to my daughters African Grey and Macaw. To me all the parrots and birds are wonderful to watch and listen too, and with the proper care and love make great companions.

Owning a Blue and Gold Macaw Takes Your Time and Devotion

More and more people consider owning a Blue And Gold Macaw. The truth is only a very few should actually do it.

Simply pay attention to the numbers of Macaws being sold by private owners. Far to often people simply bite off far more than they can chew or don't understand the amount of time, dedication, work, commitment involved with owning a Macaw parrot.

It is likely the beauty, the out of this world colors, the affectionate/playful natures and overall intelligence of Macaw parrots that make these birds nearly irresistible for animal lovers.

To many people unfortunately buy on impulse when they buy one of these magnificent birds. Buying a Macaw is to often based on a delightful casual introduction and not any appreciable amount of before purchase research.

Properly trained, loving and intelligent Macaws are not something that just happens. That bird is the product of love, care, devotion, understanding and work. For those who own and love the Macaws, it may be the most gratifying work but it is work none the less.

The work begins with reputable dedicated breeders hand feeding and socializing the chicks. After purchase that socialization must be a continuing process. Breeder commitment and dedication is the reason that hand fed babies make the best companions.

By hand feeding the babies the breeders instill humans as essential to the babies existence and as a natural and normal part of his flock. This makes humans a recognizable part of the birds family.

It takes a real expert to tame a Macaw Blue And Gold or other that is not a hand fed chick. Most of those will just never become as loving, gentle and happy to be a part of the family as will the hand fed bird. The first step in socializing any large companion bird is hand feeding the chicks.

Personal attention by the breeders goes a very long way, helping to insure anyone willing to continue the process will likely continue to have a good natured, trainable and loving bird.

Unfortunately most or too many prospective owners do not fully grasp the importance of continuing the socialization process initiated by the breeder. So having a great deal of time and even more desire to continue the process is mandatory before anyone should buy a Macaw.

With large birds like the Blue And Gold Macaw the socialization process must be ongoing for life. Left alone to fend on their own Macaws can easily revert. They may become far more wild than a loving, gentle companion.

Left alone to long and or to often the Macaw can easily lose any interest in being that lovable bird and companion you first purchased. He can become that feather plucking, aggressive, extraordinarily loud and destructive bird he is quite capable of becoming.

Done correctly owning a Macaw parrot is every bit as gratifying as owning any other pet, for me it is more. I can think of no other pet that will bond closer or for as long as the Macaw or other large parrots.

For me and maybe because Macaws are not domesticated animals bonding is of a more personal nature. Perhaps it is the sole fact that the Macaws are not domesticated that makes bonding so very remarkable and heartfelt.

The Blue And Gold Macaw is not for the casual pet owner. If lacking the time, dedication and commitment to supply a his needs the Macaw is not a good choice. The Blue And Gold Macaw almost demands you spend your time and that you provide him not just physical care but emotional support also. He can be almost maniacal in his need of your attentions but can be just as maniacal when it comes to showing and giving his affection to those within his flock.

Primarily due to his loving and friendly nature. It's seldom that a Blue And Gold Macaw will prefer to be left alone. A well socialized Macaw will want to be included in everything you do. Most of the time A Blue And Gold Macaw simply wants to be with you helping to do whatever you're doing. He can't help it. It's his nature.

Without a doubt it is your time, your caring, your devotion and understanding that allow a Macaw to become such an amazing companion. He easily becomes just another beautiful bird without your commitment.

Because owning a Macaw means giving so much of yourself. It is unlikely to ever duplicate the experience with any other type of animal. Life with a Macaw becomes intensely personal and gratifying. The bonus is. The experience can last your lifetime.

The Macaws

Ara, Anodorhynchus, Cyanopsitta, Primolius, Orthopsittaca, and Diopsittaca.


Macaws are members of the parrot family and have the typical parrot features. They have large, strong, curved beaks designed to crush nuts and seeds. Strong, agile toes are used like hands to grasp things. Loud, screeching and squawking voices help make their presence known in dense rain forests.

Macaws are built to fly through the trees in the forest, with a streamlined body and tail shape and wings that don’t flap deeply. They are also famous for their bright colors, which seem bold and conspicuous to us but actually blend in well with the green leaves, red and yellow fruits, and bluish shadows in the rain forest.

Some of the macaw species are popularly known for their impressive size. The largest parrot in length and wingspan is the Hyacinth Macaw. The heaviest macaw is the Buffon's, although the heaviest parrot is the flightless Kakapo.

Macaws eat nuts, seeds, fruit, and sometimes insects. They also gnaw and chew on various objects. They show a large amount of intelligence in their behaviour and require constant intellectual stimulation to satisfy their innate curiosity. They often learn tricks easily.
Macaws have been said to live for up to 100 years; however, an average of 50 years is probably more accurate. The larger macaws may live up to 65 years. They are monogamous and mate for life. In captivity unmated macaws will bond primarily with one person – their keeper, and can often be quite affectionate and cuddly. Pet macaws thrive on frequent interaction and attention from their owners, and a lack of this can lead to their mental and physical suffering.

Macaws are no ordinary pets. Their sheer size and biting capability is reason for caution. One look at their beak, sometimes called a “can opener” attached to feathers, is enough to make most people run for cover. And yet most of us are captivated by the beautiful plumage and fascinating personalities these birds display. These birds need to be trained.

Parrots As Pets - 8 Parrot Species Described

Parrots are wonderful creatures with their stunningly beautiful colors, super intellect, and their show-stopping ability to speak words and imitate sounds. If you are considering adopting a Parrot here are brief descriptions of eight types. Most have considerable life spans, so knowing what to expect will go a long way towards helping you choose once and well.

African Greys are medium size birds that are grey and sometimes have a red tail and or red wings. Many speak using a large vocabulary of words, and imitate sounds they hear, but there is no guarantee that every Grey, and more specifically, your Grey will speak. Buying the bird for this feature is not a good idea. They can be very loud, and sometimes even scream. They are demanding in terms of the human attention they need, but will more than reward your attention with love and loyalty.

Cockatiels are gentle natured birds that are generally less expensive than most other parrots. They are a great choice for a first time bird owner because they are non-aggressive and adapt very easily to their humans particularly if they have been weaned, hand fed, and adopted when very young. They are a hardy birds with a usual life span of between 15 and 20 years. Normally grey in the wild, there is a huge color selection available ranging from white to cinnamon with many mutations in between, but are most often thought of as cream-colored with a yellow plume.

Cockatoos look very similar to Cockatiels but are much larger and can be aggressive and even bite if caution is not used. This is a generalization, but making sure you choose one that is gentle will make a better pet that can be enjoyed by you and children in the family as well. They are much more costly ranging upwards of $1,000 as opposed to Cockatiels which range in the $100's to purchase. They are quite loud, but can learn a wide variety of words which is one of the reasons for the added cost to purchase.

Conures are small in size by parrot standards with long tails and a wide variety of vivid colors available. They are highly intelligent and love to play and clown around. They can be taught to do tricks, and may learn to speak. An experienced owner who is home a lot is best because they need a minimum of several hours each day of socialization to avoid behavior problems and biting. Providing lots of toys can cut down on their natural tendency toward excessive chewing. Their screeching is a well-known trait, and whereas it is not desirable to totally eliminate it, early training can keep it from becoming a problem.

Lovebirds are generally only 5 to 6 inches long and come in a variety of colors. If you have a lot of time adopting one will work; if not, getting 2 at the same time will provide the social interaction that they need, but be prepared for them bonding more to each other than to you. Though small in size, they have big personalities and need daily training and handling to keep them tame. They can bite and be territorial so they are not for the faint of heart. But with proper care they can be cuddly, loyal companions that live 15 years or longer.

Macaws are the largest birds in the Parrot family and can live on average up to 50 years. Know that adopting a Macaw means a commitment for life. Because of their size they need a lot of space inside the cage, and need to be allowed outside the cage daily for a minimum of several hours. They have strong beaks and can chew excessively to the point of destroying furniture. They need daily human interaction and training, and a wide variety of toys that are rotated on a regular basis to provide constant stimulation.

Parakeet literally means long tail and serves as an excellent beginning to the description of this medium size member of the Parrot family. Available in a wide variety of colors, they range in size from 7 to 18 inches long. Their personalities are generally friendly, social and energetic making it a popular choice for those who want a bird as a companion. They are quite intelligent and in many cases can learn to speak.

Parrotlets are miniature size parrots that offer the same wide spectrum of colors generally associated with the Parrot family, only they are usually less than 5 inches long. Though small, they are fearless and will often attack other bigger birds and animals. They, as any bird, should be constantly supervised when out of the cage and kept separate from other birds and animals. With proper care they can live 15 years or more.