Parrot The name of a large family of some 315 species of colorful birds, and pantropical in distribution, which also includes the parakeet. Parrots have large heads and short necks, strong feet with two toes in front and to in back (which facilitates climbing and grasping), and strong, thick bills, with the larger hooked upper mandible hinged to the bones of the head .

Aboreal, and feeding on seeds and fruits, except the kea of New Zealand, which is a scavenger in the winter. Parrot have certain affinities to pigeons and cuckoos: like them, they feed the young by regurgitation, and they have swellings (ceres ) at the base of the nostrils as to pigeons. Their voices are harsh, but there thick, fleshy tones and special voice apparatus permit a wide range of articulations , some species can be taught to imitate the human voice. The best of mimics are the African gray parrot and the Amazons . The parrots size ranges from three and a half inch pygmy parrot found in the South Pacific to the 40 in. Amazons of South America while in build very from the stocky lovebirds to the slender lories and cockatoos .

The plumage is brilliant, their bodies solid green, yellow, red and white, or black with contrasting red to, yellow, or blue on the head and, wings, and its tail. The cockatoos, crested parrots native to the Australian region, maybe pink, whites with yellow or scarlet crests, or dark plumage to, as is the great black and palm cockatoo. They eat insects and are also able to crack extremely hard nuts. The smaller cockateels are gray with yellow heads., the long tailed macaws are found in the rainforests of Central and South America. The species are named for their gaudy colors scarlet, gold and blue, and red and green macaws. In captivity adult macaws may be vicious.

In the wild and they travel in pairs, the small old world parents known as lovebirds are so named for their apparent fondness of the mates for one another. The Australasian lory and smaller lorikeet feed on fruits and nectar. Parents are long lived, and many are popular as cage birds. Care should be exercised, in selecting birds with known histories, since even apparently healthy birds may be carriers of infectious psittacosis .

Other animal pictures

Need more info type in animal name then put info at the end

Need more pictures type in animal name then put pics at the end

Return to Animal Pictures at Animal Trial