Parrots

Parrots are birds of all colors that usually originate from a warm habitat — think rainforests, grasslands, savannas, semi-arid regions, and even islands. A few species buck this trend and prefer colder climates, such as the Kea parrot, which inhabits the alpine regions of the South Island of New Zealand. Parrots are so much more than the stereotypical pirate “accessory” often portrayed in movies, books and other media. Most parrots are wild, but people began keeping some species as companions long ago. In fact, the San Diego Zoo website states that the first written account of a captive parrot dates from 400 B.C. These amazing avian companions now span the globe, living in the hearts and homes of people everywhere.

Native Region / Natural Habitat

 The natural habitat of parrots varies by species, however, many hail from tropical or subtropical areas in South America, Central America, Africa, and Australasia. Parrots from the Americas are sometimes called New World and those from Africa and Australasia are called Old World.

Care & Feeding

A cage provides parrots with a retreat that they know is their territory in your home. It also assists in meeting your parrot’s needs, such as controlling lighting; parrots ideally need 12 hours of daylight and 12 hours of darkness.

The size of the cage varies by species. All parrots need a cage that allows them to spread their wings freely in the fully accessorized cage. Species with long tails need cages that are tall enough to accommodate the tail length. Did you catch the phrase fully accessorized? You need to furnish your feathered friend’s “bird cave.” Research the best cage material for your parrot’s species.
The Merck Veterinary Manual offers the following general guidelines for size: 20 x 20 x 30 inches for budgies, cockatiels, lovebirds, or parrotlets; 36 x 24 x 48 inches for conures, Poicephalus, caiques, miniature macaws; 40 x 30 x 60 inches for African grey parrots, Amazon parrots, and small cockatoos; 48 x 36 x 66 inches for macaws and large cockatoos. Bar spacing ranges from 0.5 inches to 1.5 inches for the smallest to largest species. Keep in mind that these suggested sizes are minimum for a single bird, and a bigger cage is always better! If you choose to keep multiple parrots, be prepared to offer a cage for each. Sharing a cage usually only works for the same species, and even that isn’t a guarantee that birds will get along. Never house birds together that show any aggression toward each other. And be absolutely certain you know the sex of your birds before letting any share a cage.
Keeping the cage clean is critical to your parrot’s health. Get into a regular routine of daily tasks like changing out paper and cleaning dishes and water bottles and weekly and monthly tasks like toy rotation and deep cleaning.

Rating the Species

Each parrot is an individual. Your bird may not develop any of the common characteristics of his species or become an exact replica of the textbook description. Odds are, however, that he will fall somewhere between those two extremes. Still, some parrots are easier to care for than others due to their general personality traits, needs and behaviors. Budgies, cockatiels, lovebirds and parrotlets are smart, energetic parrots whose small size and cheery attitudes mesh well with most humans. If you're looking for easy, it's probably best to leave the fascinating but high-maintenance macaws, cockatoos, African greys and Amazons to the experienced.