Best 20 Types of Parrots Updated 2021

Types of parrots

Parrots are different from other common birds, as they have an upright posture, sturdy curved bill, two claws with four toes; two pointing forward while two pointing backwards, and their capability of mimicking sounds and human speech. There are plenty of parrots present globally.

Parrots are loved as pets all over the world, and to have them as pets it is necessary to know about the types of parrots. In this way you can make wise decisions about the species of parrots which you can afford.

Southern and Central America, New Zealand and Australia are known to have maximum parrot species.

It depends on what kind of pet parrot you are looking for, then you can decide. Parrots are usually categorized on the basis of their size, weight, and either they are diurnal or nocturnal.

Depending upon their size there are following types of parrots:

  1. Small parrots
  2. Medium parrots
  3. Large parrots
  4. Extra large parrots

Small parrots: Small parrots include:

  1. Cockatiels
  2. Love birds
  3. Small parakeets
  4. Parrotlets

Medium parrots: Medium-sized parrots include:

  1. Caiques
  2. Small conures
  3. Lories
  4. Lorikeets
  5. Large parakeets
  6. Pionus parrots
  7. Poicephalus

Large parrots: Large parrots include:

  1. African grey
  2. Amazonian 
  3. Small cockatoos
  4. Large Conures
  5. Eclectus
  6. Parrots with hawk heads
  7. Mini Macaws

Extra large parrots: Extra large parrots include:

  1. Large cockatoos
  2. Big Macaws

Types of parrots

To many people, the parrot’s colorful birds and their beautiful appearance is the main attraction to own a parrot. We being pet parrot owners, are much mesmerized by their qualities. It is a sure thing that most of the people also buy them for their taking abilities. So, let’s explore a little more about this beautiful bird species to get the perfect pet parrot for himself.

BIrds have a diverse range of species and colors. You will find all the colors in this species. Either you are looking for red, green, blue, you will find one. But besides their unusual color combinations, several other traits make parrots more adorable. Types of Parrots are social, curious, loving, and sometimes can be very noisy. So, before owning a pet parrot species, it is necessary to go through all the associated factors.

The main features of a parrot are:

  1. Strong beaks with indent
  2. Upward posture
  3. Two feet; each foot contains four toes. Two of them point in the forward direction while the other two in the backward direction.
  4. Their capability to talk and learn words from humans and mimicking them.

In the section below, we will mention some of the most common pet parrot species in the order of size:

Large pet parrot species:

  • Cockatoos
  • Amazons 
  • Mini and large macaws
  • African grey
  • Eclectus
  • Hawk headed
  • Conures

Medium-sized pet parrot species:

  • Poicephalus
  • Pionus
  • Caques
  • Small conures
  • Lorikeets
  • Large parakeets

Small-sized pet parrot species:

  • Australian parrots/ budgerigars
  • Lovebirds
  • Parrotlets
  • Cockatiels

8 top colorful parrot species

Though several types of parrots have beautifully colored feathers, we will mention the top most desired colored pet species of the parrots; after all, color is the primary attracting tool of parrots.

Eclectus parrots:

Mostly in bird species, it isn’t easy to differentiate between the males and the females. Still, surprisingly the Eclectus parrot species are one of those parrots that can be identified easily, making them sexually dimorphic. These species can grow for 17 -20 inches and can weigh about 20 ounces. The male Eclectus is bright green with some red and blue spots on the feathers. On the other hand, the female Eclectus is brightly blue and red. Their feathers display a glitch of purple shade due to the mixing of red and blue colors. These parrots are friendly and can be easily kept as pets. They enjoy an owner regularly.

Sun conures parrots:

These are large birds that can grow for 12 punches and weight about 5 ounces. This bird species usually displays a vast canvas of colors on their bodies. They can be used as a synonym for rainbows. They are pretty and have orange, yellow, and red colors on their heads and their chests. These bright colors are balanced by some solid blue, green and turquoise colors in the tail and lower feathers. Their voices are as sharp and bright as their body colors. Therefore if you are someone who doesn’t like noises, sun conures may not be the right pets for you. If you think they are shy, they are not, and they usually express their moods with their loud shrieks, which can be heard from miles. 

Scarlet Macaws parrots:

Scarlet macaws have such beautiful bodies and feathers with embellishing bright colors like blue, red yellow, and some splashes of green. They can grow up to 38 inches and weigh about 39 ounces, yes they are quite heavy. Owners will be hypnotized by their beauty but do not get tempted by their looks only because they are more abundant species of birds and require a lot of care and attention. As they are large, they also need a spacious cage to open up their feathers and bodies. Their vocals are also quite firm and loud. Therefore, before having a scarlet macaw consider these things first.

Blue and Gold Macaw parrots:

Justifying their name, these beautiful parrots have sky blue and yellow feathers with some vivid portions of grass green color on their heads. These species can grow about 36 inches and can weigh about 42 ounces. Among different types of parrots, these macaws are quite intelligent, curious, and friendly. They love to be the star of the show, so they love the attention of their owners. In addition to this, they also have a strong capability to tear up your ear with its remarkably loud vocals. They also need a huge cage to live in, which they properly exercise.

Lilac Crowned Amazon parrots:

Amazon birds usually have a green base, and therefore these types of parrots also have an overall green color with a little bit of light blue or the lily shade on their head. They can grow about 14 inches and can weigh about 11 ounces. This species of parrots are very active and friendly. To justify these features, they also need and have to do a lot of physical and mental exercise. They have a very sharp memory and therefore make firm connections with their owners. They love to have you around them almost all day. 

 Hyacinth Macaw parrots:

There are several types of parrots, but this species has the brightest color than all of them. They can grow about 40 inches and weigh 51 ounces. They are colorful blue colored parrots, and also they enjoy the title of the most abundant bird species. They are susceptible birds; therefore, they are not ideal pets for everyone. However, they are very kind and warm-hearted. They love hours and hours of caressing and socializing. The owners who can manage to provide them a calm and gentle environment can have these as pets.

 Cockatoo (Rose breast) parrots:

If a girl is reading this, she must be aware of the nude colors this parrot is the accurate depiction of all these colors. Rose-breasted cockatoo contains pink, white, and grey tones. They can grow about 15 inches and can weigh about 14 ounces. Their colors are subtler than other species of parrots, but they have exciting and curious personalities. They are also sensitive, so they require a lot of time to spend with their owners.

Green Wing Macaws parrots:

This species types of  parrots have a whole body covered in red color except for the feathers and the tail. They have blue and green color on the top of their lower feathers and the rear. They can grow about 40 inches and can weigh for 60 ounces. They are generally taken as gentle giants of the macaw family because they have a very sober nature until they do not get fond of humans and their attention.

Types of parrot list

Parrots come in all sizes, colors, and personalities. Therefore, choosing one is quite tricky. Consequently, we have designed different types of parrot list so that you can easily select which parrot best suits you. types of Parrots are crafty animals, but those who understand them and become aware of their needs and wants are total game changers to their pets. As there are so many species of parrots, so to list them all is quite tricky. But we will mention all the popular groups so that it is easy to choose and select.

Types of parrots 2

African grey parrot:

African grey parrots are the most intelligent species among all parrots. They are great talkers too. They are light grey with dark black tails. Timen African grey parrots have a crimson red tail along with grey and black. Those people who live in a quiet and silent home away from the loud noises can undoubtedly have the African greys. Remember, they are large birds and can have a length of 14 inches.

African grey parrot Advantage:

They can be easily trained to talk and mimic almost everything. They also do not scream a lot like other parrots.

African grey parrot Disadvantage:

African greys are a little shy, and they take time to get used to with their owners. Some may be disturbed by environmental changes and can have nervous behaviors in different situations.

Parakeets parrots:

These types of  parrots are one of the smallest species of parrots, mainly found in the regions of America. These species have various sizes, shapes, and colors. English budgies and Bourke’s parakeets are also great pets. These parrots can be well trained because they respond well while socializing, and if you give them some little pocket of love (treats), they will get pleased. 

Parakeets parrots Advantage:

Though parakeets have subtle voices, most of their species continue to speak, chatter, and sing for all the day. This feature makes them difficult for pets.

Parakeets parrots Disadvantage:

They behave a bit weird, and they somehow have odd behavior. They get frightened in the dark. They may hurt themselves in the process because when they get scared, they smash themselves in the cage. 

Conures parrots:

Conures have a unique combination of yellow, orange, and green. Therefore they are called sun conures. They have interesting personalities and make excellent pets. They can grow about 12 inches. Other species of conures like blue crowns, jendays, and green cheek conures are also popular as pets. As far as the training is concerned, these conures can be trained right after the baby stage. However, if you try to teach them in the adult stage, they show stubborn behaviors. 

Conures parrots Advantage:

If you ask about their pet personality, they love to spend time with their owners and have social times. They are small forms of energy packets and love to jump in their cage and play with different kinds of toys. One strange habit of them is some of them fall on their back, and they love to sleep in this posture may appear like they are dead, but they do not, so do not worry. 

Conures parrots Disadvantage:

Most species of the conures have loud noise, and they almost chatter throughout the day. This fact makes them a very noisy pet. However, green cheek conures are a bit subtle than others. They also show strange temperaments if they do not enjoy hours of socializing. 

Poicephalus parrots:

The poicephalus species of parrots which are commonly kept as pets are Senegal and Meyer. Apart from these, Red bellies and Jardine also do have a good reputation as pets. They can grow up to 13 inches. Their primary colors are grey and green, though they do have some yellow-orange splashes and sometimes blue ones. These colors make them quite attractive group of birds for bird lovers. 

Poicephalus parrots Advantage:

As compared to other species of parrots, these types of parrots are shy and quiet. They do have the talking abilities, and they can mimic human languages too. Red bellies are the most talented species regarding mimicking. They also like cuddles and socializing. 

Poicephalus parrots Disadvantage:

These parrots have some nerve issues and have a confused personality. If they are not handled and trained with proper care, they may not get used to humans and have aggressive behaviors. 

Love birds:

Love birds are small birds and are closely related to Amazon parrots. These parrots have a wide variety of colors and sizes. On average, they grow about 6 inches. 

Types of parrots 3

Love birds Advantage:

Lovebirds are adorable to watch because they are full of energy and bravery. They love to peep in everything happening around and love to play with toys. 

Love birds Disadvantage:

These birds sometimes have very aggressive behavior because they are territorial and do not like the interference of other birds in their territory. So fights are frequent among these birds. 

Eclectus parrots:

Eclectus are among the most colorful species of parrots. They are also closely related to amazon parrots because of their appearance and size. They can grow about 13-14 inches. Females are red-colored with purple glitches, and their beaks are black. Males are green, having splashes of red and blue on the lower feathers. They have a yellow-orange upper beak, and lower mandibles are greyish black. 

Eclectus parrots Advantage:

Eclectus are so soothing to look at, and it is like the whole nature is fitted in these types of parrots. They are friendly and like socializing, but they can’t be cuddled. They copy sounds well instead of the languages. 

Eclectus parrots Disadvantage:

As they eat fruits a lot, so the feces may be runny, which is cringe to clean. They have a fragile and complex digestive system; therefore, they require a specialized and well-formulated diet. Though they do not make much noise, when they cry, it can be heard from miles. 

Types of parrots, What kind of parrots are there? 

Parrots belong to the group Psittacines. There are almost 402 species of parrots that make their whole group of parrots called Psittaciformes; they are mostly found in those regions in which rains are widespread; tropical and subtropical regions. The most common parrots are Cockatoos, Asian parrots, macaws, Eclectus, Amazon, Love birds, etc. 

Parrots are very good at copying and mimicking, and this trait is dominant in the African grey parrots. They can even copy emotions like laughter and words etc. Macaws and Eclectus are among the colorful species. Cockatoos display a portrait of the mohawk. Kakapo belongs to the group of most long-living birds and can live up to 90 years.

How many species of parrots are there? 

There are almost 402 species of parrots known and many more to explore. In recent centuries we have lost several vintage species of parrots mainly due to the loss of habitat and changing weather conditions and also for trade purposes. Below is the classification types of parrots into seven scientific groups:

Kingdom: Animalia

Phylum: Chordata( animals who have vertebra) 

Class: Aves (birds) 

Order: Psittaciformes

Family: Cockatoos, true parrots, kea/kaka/kakapo

Genus and species: almost 60 genera and more than 402 species. 

Most of the parrots belong to the family of true parrots. Some parrots that are mentioned above, including kea, kaka, and kakapo, are rare and only inhabit New Zealand. True parrots are called “true” because they have a diverse range of colors, whereas the Cockatoos are generally white, black, or grey. 

Besides appearances, there are other contradictions among these three families as well, e. g—changes in body structures. The prominent example of this is that cockatoos can move their feathers, which are present on their heads and gall bladders, but the true parrots cannot do this. 

What type of animals are parrots? 

As there are many species in the parrot’s group, they have a diverse range of colors, sizes, and shapes. True parrots are colorful, while others like cockatoos and kakapo don’t have many vibrant colors. 

Majorly parrots are social birds, only a few of them are territorial. They love to socialize, and they mostly live in groups or flocks. A flock may contain 20/30 birds. 

Parrots can be very romantic, and they usually live their entire life with a single partner. The parents have to work together until their young ones can fly and live on their own. Parrots communicate with one another through different calls and by intricate tail movements. The only kakapo is nocturnal among all species of parrots. 

Parrots are good at copying sounds and mimicking the way others talk. They are even able to copy emotions like laughter and aggressiveness.

Types of parrots 5

Different types of parrots with names

Below are some common parrots along with their names

For Macaws:

  • Blu
  • Celeste
  • Teal
  • Azure
  • Sapphire
  • Ruby
  • Cerise
  • Amber
  • Rufus
  • Rusty

For Asian or green colored parrots:

  • Sage
  • Fruitloop
  • Motley
  • Starburst
  • Unicorn
  • Sage
  • Pickles
  • Maize
  • May
  • Sweetpea
  • Goldie

For Cockatoos:

  • Meryl cheep
  • Pappagallo
  • Chick jagger
  • Hootie
  • Pipsqueak
  • Bubba
  • Kanye
  • Yakky
  • Puffy
  • Bougie

For Eclectus and other species:

  • Sunshine
  • Sam
  • Peach
  • Coco
  • Tweety
  • Angel
  • Chay
  • Buddy
  • Baby
  • Lucy
  • Max
  • Bella
  • Rocky
  • Lucky
  • Oliver
  • Oscar
  • Pepper
  • Harley
  • Peanut
  • Skittles

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