If you think there are only a few types of these colorful flying parrots, you’re mistaken; there are hundreds!
Parrots are among the most intelligent birds, recognized for their abilities to communicate and copy, and the majority of them are boisterous and friendly. Tropical and sub-tropical environments are where you’ll find it the most.
We’ve included the 20 various varieties of parrots below, along with enough information about each to help you understand the different breeds.
Table of Contents
1. Grey parrot
| Name | African grey parrot |
| Found In | Central African rainforest |
| Color | Silver feather with a white mask |
| Pet rating (1 to 5) | 3 |
Gray parrots are found in central African rainforests, with a range stretching from Côte d’Ivoire to western Kenya.
This breed is Africa’s most giant parrot, with silver feathers, a white mask, and a brilliant, scarlet tail. Males and females have relatively comparable physical characteristics. They’re among the world’s cleverest birds and the best mimics of human speech.
According to studies, the birds had cognitive abilities comparable to those of a five-year-old child. African grays are one of the most popular pet birds due to their intelligence and ability to mimic human speech.
2. Timneh parrot
| Name | Timneh parrot |
| Found In | West Africa |
| Color | Darker grey, white facial mask |
| Pet rating ( 1 to 5) | 3.5 |
The Timneh grey parrot, commonly known as the Timneh African grey parrot, is a West African parrot. Growing to a length of 28–33 centimeters (11–13 in) and a weight of 275–375 grams (9.7–13.2 oz), they weigh 275–375 grams (9.7–13.2 oz). He is a medium-sized parrot named Timneh.
It has mottled grey plumage with a white facial mask and pale yellow eyes. The Timneh is smaller and darker than the only other known Psittacus species, the grey parrot (P. Erithacus), with a dull, dark maroon (rather than crimson) tail and a horn-colored patch on the upper jaw. The Timneh parrot is less nervous and outgoing around people than the grey parrot, and it can learn to communicate at a younger age.
3. Senegal parrot
| Name | Senegal parrot |
| Found in | West Africa |
| Color | Grey head with green feather and yellow chest |
| Pet rating (1 to 5) | 4 |
The Senegal parrot is a resident breeder that can be found throughout West Africa. Senegal parrots measure approximately 23 centimeters (9.1 inches) in length and weigh between 120 and 170 grams.
They have a large head and beak and a short, broad tail made of feathers for their size. Adults have a dark grey head with a grey beak and brilliant yellow irises. The back and throat are green, with yellow underparts and rump.
A Senegalese parrot’s front has green and yellow portions that make a V-shape, resembling a yellow vest worn over the green. The irises of young juveniles are dark grey, almost black, and gradually lighten.
4. Red-bellied parrot
| Name | Red-bellied parrot |
| Found In | East African countries |
| Color | Grey and green; Male have orange belly |
| Pet rating (1 to 5) | 4 |
Poicephalus rufiventris (red-bellied parrot) is a small African parrot. It is primarily grey and green.
Females have a greenish belly, while males have a brilliant orange belly. Red-bellied parrot is sexually dimorphic, with males having a bright orange lower chest and abdomen and adult females having a greenish lower chest and belly. The dimorphism starts early in life and can be detected in tiny chicks still in the nest.
5. Rüppell’s parrot
| Name | Rüppell’s parrot |
| Found In | Southwestern Africa |
| Color | Grey with blue underparts, yellow shoulder patches |
| Pet rating ( 1 to 5) | 3 |
Rueppell’s parrot is an indigenous species of southwestern Africa, ranging from central Namibia to southwest Angola.
It prefers to live in savanna with trees or in dry woods. It’s more abundant around rivers and streams. Eduard Rüppell, a German naturalist and explorer, is remembered by this name.
It has a dark brown overall color and a dark gray head. Adult male and female birds have yellow feathers on the leading edge of their wings and yellow feathers on their upper legs; young birds have dim or absent yellow feathers.
They are sexually dimorphic, with adult females having blue feathers on the lower back and rump, while males lose their blue feather color as they develop.
6. Cape parrot
| Name | Cape parrot |
| Found In | South Africa |
| Color | Brown neck, grey head with green body |
| Pet rating (1 to 5) | 2 |
The Cape Parrot, which is often confused with the more widely distributed Grey-headed Parrot, is South Africa’s sole indigenous parrot species, with a natural population of fewer than 1000 birds, according to a 2004 estimate.
The head, throat, and neck feathers range from olive-yellow to golden brown, while the body and wings are dark green. Males have a dark-earth-colored forecrown and no pigment on the forehead, while females have an orange-red forehead. Juveniles resemble females except for the absence of red on the legs and wing edges.
7. Thick-billed parrot
| Name | Thick-billed parrot |
| Found In | Mexico and southwestern United States |
| Color | Bright green with red forecrown, shoulder, and thighs. |
| Pet rating ( 1 to 5) | 2 |
The thick-billed parrot (Rhynchopsitta pachyrhyncha) is a medium-sized parrot native to Mexico and found in the southwestern United States.
Species are sometimes referred to as thick-billed macaw or thick-billed conure, depending on where it falls in the parrot phylogeny. The demise of the thick-billed parrot has sparked numerous debates about wildlife management. In 2018, Mexico’s estimated wild population was 1,700.
8. Maroon-fronted parrot
| Name | Maroon-fronted parrot |
| Found In | Northeastern Mexico |
| Color | Dark green, Maroon forehead, and dark red shoulder |
| Pet rating (1 to 5) | 1 |
The maroon-fronted parrot (Rhynchopsitta terrisi) is a large, macaw-like parrot. It is dark green with a dark red shoulder and a maroon forehead and eye stripe. Its underside of the wings and tail appear black when it is in flight.
The adults have a dark maroon brow that extends over the rim of bare yellow skin that surrounds the eyes. They have a brighter red at the end of the wing. The tail is long and pointed. The underside of the wings is blackish. The juvenile has a pale beak, whitish eye-rings, and lacks the dark maroon stripe over each eye.
9. Crimson-bellied parakeet
| Name | Crimson-bellied conure |
| Found In | Brazil and Bolivia |
| Color | Green wings with crimson-colored belly |
| Pet rating (1 to 5) | 4.5 |
In aviculture, the crimson-bellied parakeet (Pyrrhura perlata), sometimes known as the crimson-bellied conure, is a parrot species belonging to the Psittacidae family. Pyrrhura perlata adults have a greenish tint to them. Their cheeks are yellow/green on top and blue on the bottom.
Brown with faint off-white and dark brown banding on the breast. The blue-collar around the hindnecks of crimson-bellied parakeets varies from bird to bird. They have a red wing bend and smaller underwing coverts and blue thighs and tail coverts. The tail is a brownish-red color. The beak of Pyrrhura perlata is brown/grey. It has a bare and white eye ring with dark brown eyes.
10. Pearly parakeet
| Name | Pearly conure |
| Found In | East Amazonian forest in Brazil |
| Color | Green and blue |
| Pet rating (1 to 5) | 3 |
The pearly parakeet (Pyrrhura lepida), sometimes known as the pearly conure in aviculture, is a parrot that is only found in Brazil’s east Amazonian rainforest. The adult pearly conure is around 9 inches in length and weighs around 40 grams. Their average life spans is 20 years.
11. Meyer’s parrot
| Name | Meyer’s parrot (brown parrot) |
| Found In | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| Color | Black feathers, blue rump, yellow markings on wing |
| Pet rating (1 to 5) | 4 |
The Meyer’s parrot has long been overshadowed by its more colorful cousin. Instead of becoming the focus of attention, Meyer’s parrot could choose to observe from afar. This bird is content to sit quietly on a perch and trash a toy. Meyers can be gregarious, and they tend to form bonds with everyone in the family. Meyer’s parrots have a stable temperament and are friendly, peaceful, and easygoing.
12. Red-fronted parrot
| Name | Red-fronted parrot |
| Found In | Africa |
| Color | Mostly green with red plumage in the head |
| Pet rating (1 to 5) | 2.5 |
The red-fronted parrot (Poicephalus Guglielmi), often known as Jardine’s parrot, is a medium-sized green parrot found throughout Africa.
It is divided into three subspecies. The red or orange plumage on its head, thighs, and wings bend vary in size and clarity depending on the subspecies. Due to improved availability and rising popularity, the red-fronted parrot is becoming a more popular pet. They are especially amusing, wise, and affectionate.
Some birds communicate eloquently and skilfully imitate other birds. They are attractive options for apartment residents because of their size, temperament, and voice.
13. Yellow-fronted parrot
| Name | Yellow-fronted parrot |
| Found In | Ethiopia |
| Color | Mostly green body with yellow face |
| Pet rating (1 to 5) | – |
A hefty, medium-sized parrot with a short tail and a large bill, the Yellow-fronted parrot (Poicephalus flavifrons) lives in Ethiopian Highlands. It has a yellow head and is mainly green. There is very little information available about this species.
14. Niam-Niam parrot
| Name | Niam-Niam Parrot |
| Found In | Central African Republic |
| Color | Green with grey-brown head |
| Pet rating (1 to 5) |
Mid-sized chubby parrot The Niam-Niam parrot (Poicephalus Crassus) belongs to the genus Poicephalus and is practically unique to the Central African Republic. It has a grey-brown head with orange irises and is green mainly. The Niam Niam is one of the world’s least well-known parrots, with little information on its conservation status. Until 2017, it was one of Africa’s last unphotographed birds.
15. Burrowing parrot
| Name | Burrowing parakeet |
| Found In | Argentina and Chile |
| Color | White eye-ring, breast, and olive green body |
| Pet rating (1 to 5) | 3 |
The burrowing parrot (Cyanoliseus patagons), commonly known as the burrowing parakeet or the Patagonian conure, is an attractive and strikingly colored giant parakeet rare in Chile but more frequent in Argentina. It belongs to the monotypic genus Cyanoliseus, which has four known subspecies.
The burrowing parrot is easily identified with a striking white eye-ring, white breast markings, olive green body color, and brilliantly colored underparts.
16. Slender-billed parakeet
| Name | Slender-billed parakeet |
| Found In | Southern Chile |
| Color | Olive green |
| Pet rating (1 to 5) | 2.5 |
The slender-billed parakeet (Enicognathus leptorhynchus), commonly known as the long-billed parakeet, is a medium-sized South American parrot. Southern Chile is home to the slender-billed parakeet. Its native habitat is temperate forests, and its range extends from central Chile, near Mount Aconcagua, to the island of Chiloé and the country’s continental region. The birds are gregarious and congregate in big groups. They are not particularly scared of humans, and flocks can often be seen in urban settings.
17. Austral parakeet
| Name | Austral parakeet |
| Found In | South America |
| Color | Dark Green |
| Pet rating (1 to 5) | 3.5 |
The austral parakeet (Enicognathus ferrugineus), also known as the austral conure or emerald parakeet, is a parrot found from the southernmost tip of South America to as far north as Temuco. It is primarily green, with some dull red on the forehead, abdomen, and upper tail, with less red in the northern portion of the range. It is primarily found in woodland areas, shrubland, and farms.
18. Painted parakeet
| Name | Painted parakeet |
| Found In | Northern south America and Panama |
| Color | Mainly green plumage |
| Pet rating (1 to 5) | 2 |
The painted parakeet (Pyrrhura picta), often known as the painted conure in aviculture, is a parrot species belonging to the Psittacidae family. Its taxonomy is quite complicated, and it has changed significantly in recent years. It is confined to forests in northern South America (north of the Amazon River) and Panama, as defined here. Some of the taxa in this group, such as the painted parakeet, are critically endangered.
19. Rose-fronted parakeet
| Name | Red-crowned parakeet |
| Found In | Western Amazon basin |
| Color | Green with red-pink face |
| Pet rating (1 to 5) | 4 |
A rosy-pink-faced long-tailed parakeet. The overall color is green with a red-pink face and black scalloping on the head and neck. Usually travels in small groups around the forest canopy, rather than flying as high as other parrots. Listen for calm, even-pitched screeches and yaps comparable to those of other parakeets like the Black-capped.
20. Brown-necked parrot
| Name | Brown-necked parrot |
| Found In | |
| Color | Green body with grey-brown head |
| Pet rating (1 to 5) | 3.5 |
The brown-necked parrot (Poicephalus fuscicollis), sometimes known as the uncape parrot in aviculture, is a sizeable Poicephalus parrot species unique to Africa and includes the savanna-dwelling brown-necked parrot. The parrot is a large dark green with red areas on the shoulder and thighs. The head might be pale brown or gray, with green or blue-green underparts.
Conclusion
Parrots are magnificent birds with vibrant colors and awe-inspiring beauty. There are many parrots to pick from if you’re searching for a brightly colored buddy with a cheerful personality.
So, have you considered buying a parrot as a pet? Please leave a comment below.
(Last Updated on April 15, 2022 by Sadrish Dabadi)
