Who is A Parrot?
Parrots are intelligent birds. They have relatively large brains, they can learn, and they can use simple tools. Because some species have the ability to make sounds like human voices and have plumages with bright colors, many species are kept as pets. This includes some endangered and protected species.
Personality & Behavior
Photo of White Umbrella CockatooParrots can be loud or quiet, boisterous or reserved, problem-solvers or laid-back. Sound contradictory? That’s because parrots are individuals with individual personalities. Some generalities among species are recognized, but keep in mind that any bird can be the exception to a generalization.
Before jumping into species generalizations, differences also exist based on age. Young and immature birds that are cute and cuddly can become more demanding or even aggressive when they mature and breeding season arrives. And older birds might turn standoffish or needy, depending on the changes that occur as they age.
Intelligence and learning
Some grey parrots have shown an ability to associate words with their meanings and form simple sentences. Along with crows, ravens, and jays (family Corvidae), parrots are considered the most intelligent of birds. The brain-to-body size ratio of psittacines and corvines is comparable to that of higher primates.[76] Instead of using the cerebral cortex like mammals, birds use the mediorostral HVC for cognition.[77] Not only have parrots demonstrated intelligence through scientific testing of their language-using ability, but also some species of parrots, such as the kea, are also highly skilled at using tools and solving puzzles.
Sound imitation and speech
Video of an orange-winged amazon saying "hello" having been prompted by some humans Many parrots can imitate human speech or other sounds. A study by scientist Irene Pepperberg suggested a high learning ability in an grey parrot named Alex. Alex was trained to use words to identify objects, describe them, count them, and even answer complex questions such as "How many red squares?" with over 80% accuracy.[82] N'kisi, another grey parrot, has been shown to have a vocabulary around a thousand words, and has displayed an ability to invent and use words in context in correct tenses.
Cooperation
A 2011 study stated that some African grey parrots preferred to work alone, while others like to work together.[88] With two parrots, they know the order of tasks or when they should do something together at once, but they have trouble exchanging roles. With three parrots, one parrot usually prefers to cooperate with one of the other two, but all of them are cooperating to solve the task.
Before jumping into species generalizations, differences also exist based on age. Young and immature birds that are cute and cuddly can become more demanding or even aggressive when they mature and breeding season arrives. And older birds might turn standoffish or needy, depending on the changes that occur as they age.
Popular Parrots
| Parrot | The Average Life |
|---|---|
| Amazon Parrot | from fifty to sixty years. |
| Blue and Gold Macaw | from fifty to one hunderd years. |
| Cockatiel | up to twenty years. |
| Cockatoo | up to seventy years. |
| African Grey Parrot | up to eighty years. |
Fun Facts About Parrots
- There Are Around 393 Species of Parrots.
- Parrots Eat With Their Feet.
- The Novel Treasure Island is the Reason Parrots are Associated with Pirates.
- Most Parrots Can Imitate Sound.
- Parrots Can Live For Over 60 Years.
- They Mate for Life. Once a male and female parrot get together, then they generally stay together, even outside of the breeding season.
- Parrots are Omnivores, Which Means They Eat Both Meat and Veg.
- Parrots Lay Between 2 and 8 Eggs at a Time
- In India, it’s Illegal to Keep Parrots as Pets.
- The Novel Treasure Island is the Reason Parrots are Associated with Pirates.