Parrots are birds of the roughly 350
species in the
order Psittaciformes, found in most warm and tropical regions. Also known as psittacines (
pronounced /ˈsɪtəsaɪnz/),
[1][2] they are usually grouped into two
families: the
Psittacidae (true parrots) and the
Cacatuidae (cockatoos). Characteristic features of parrots include a strong curved bill, an upright stance, strong legs, and clawed
zygodactyl feet. Most parrots are predominantly green, with other bright colors, and some species are multi-colored. Cockatoo species range from mostly white to mostly black, and have a mobile
crest of feathers on the top of their heads. Most parrots are monomorphic or minimally
sexually dimorphic.
Parrots, along with
crows, jays and magpies, are some of the most intelligent birds, and their ability to
imitate human voices enhances their popularity as pets. Trapping of wild parrots for the
pet trade, as well as other hunting,
habitat loss and competition from
invasive species, have diminished wild populations, and more parrots are
threatened with extinction than any other group of birds.
[3]The most important components of most parrots' diets are seeds, nuts, fruit, buds and other plant material, and a few species also eat insects and small animals, and the lories and lorikeets are specialised to feed on nectar from flowers, and soft fruits. Almost all parrots nest in tree holes (or
nestboxes in captivity), and lay white eggs from which emerge
altricial (helpless) young.
Extant species range in size from the
Buff-faced Pygmy-parrot, under 10 g (0.35 oz.) and 8 cm (3.2 inches), to the
Hyacinth Macaw, at 1 meter (3.3 feet) in length, and the Kakapo, at 4 kg (8.8 lbs). Some atypical parrots include the dimorphic
Eclectus (the male is green and the female is red), the flightless
lek breeding Kakapo. The
Kaka,
Kea and the
Long-billed Corella have especially curved upper mandibles.
Sound imitation and speech
Many species can imitate human
speech or other sounds, and the results of a study by
Irene Pepperberg suggested a high learning ability in an
African 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. A second example is that of
N'kisi, another African grey, which has been shown to have a vocabulary of approximately a thousand words and has displayed an ability to invent as well as use words in context and in the correct tense.
Parrots do not have vocal cords, so sound is accomplished by expelling air across the mouth of the bifurcated trachea. Different sounds are produced by changing the depth and shape of trachea. So, talking parrots are really whistling in different variations. Congo African Grey Parrots (CAG) are well known for their ability to "talk", which may be caused by more control, or stronger trachea. But that does not mean that a Cockatiel (Cockatiels are not well known for their talking ability), could have a greater vocabulary than an African Grey Parrot.
This ability has made them prized as pets from ancient time to now. In the
Masnavi, a writing by
Rumi of
Persia, AD 1250, the author talks about an ancient method for training parrots to speak.
"Parrots are taught to speak without understanding the words. The method is to place a mirror between the parrot and the trainer. The trainer, hidden by the mirror, utters the words, and the parrot, seeing his own reflection in the mirror, fancies another parrot is speaking, and imitates all that is said by the trainer behind the mirror."
