Types of Parrots for Bird Lovers

Category:  Parrot Care

Posted By:  Dr. Amannda Richline

Any pet owner could tell you that no two pets are alike, whether they're cats: dogs, or hamsters. Watch and interact

with animals long enough and you'll realize just how different each one is from others. Everyone has its own personality—not to mention the general traits or breeds! Sometimes just knowing the species can tell you a lot about the pet. This is also true for parrots. There are many types of parrots, and each kind has its own needs and challenges. Just like every other kind of animal, parrots are very diverse. There are hundreds of different kinds of parrots, from big to small, all around the world. Naturally, some make better pets than others! Here are a few quick parrot comparisons:

Small

These include cockatiels, lovebirds, small parakeets, and parrotlets. These birds average around six inches in size, depending on the species. Many of these are great for first-time bird owners, though they will need training.

Medium

Middle-sized parrots include large parakeets, caciques, small conures, lories, and lorikeets. Although all of these can be friendly, not all are great for new bird owners. Caciques, lories, and lorikeets have lots of energy and special needs that may make them difficult pets. Small conures are loud and not apartment-friendly.

Big

Large parrots include the ever-popular African grey, Amazon, small cockatoo, large conure, and eclectus species, among others These birds are especially intelligent and may be too much for a first-time bird owner to handle. Most can learn to talk and imitate well, and all need incredible stimulation to avoid boredom. Some types of parrots, like the small cockatoo, are especially needy and require lots of experience to manage.

Extra-large

These enormous birds include large cockatoos and macaws, and need lots of bird experience to make good pets. They need plenty of mental stimulation, stiff boundaries, and solid training, or they can become aggressive and bite. They are also loud birds.