That is to say, it is a vernacular name whose meaning is ambiguous in biology because it is used to designate only part of the species of birds classified in the order Psittaciformes.

Parrots are in fact divided into two different families. Most of them are Psittacidae which, in addition to parrots, include parakeets, pallets, tours , etc. while the owl-parrot is classified with the nestors , in the family of Strigopidae.

These birds are best known to the general public for their ability to imitate the human voice , which is highly developed in certain specimens. This is one of the reasons for their adoption for centuries as a pet . This success had disastrous consequences for many Psittacidae which have become rare in the wild. Species now protected are still victims of illegal capture or trafficking of eggs, despite information campaigns aimed at the European public

Funny Parrots Videos Compilation cute moment of the animals – Cutest Parrots

Etymology 

“Parrot” is said in Latin psittacus , which itself comes from the Greek ψιττακός .

The term is attested from the xiv ^th century as Paroquet. This term ousted those of papegai and papegault .

Definition of scientific

According to the times or the authors, parrots constitute different groups of birds for scientists:

In the broad sense, all birds of the order Psittaciformes are “parrots”. This is the meaning of the term parrot made by English speakers, including cockatoos, lorises,  etc.

Strictly speaking, the “true parrots” are reduced to the family of Psittacidae, which excludes Strigopidés (Nestors Parrot and owl) in addition to the cockatoos and lories.

Among the Psittacidae, the parrots in the classification Howard and Moore are specifically part of the tribe of psittacine that brings the parrots of the Afrotropical area or “parrots of the Old World,” or that of Arini or arena containing American parrots or ” New World parrots  “.

Still among the Psittacidae, the International Commission of French Names of Birds (CINFO) retains in its choice standardized names admitting the term “parrot” only birds of the genera Poicephalus, Psittacus and Coracopsis. The other Psittacidae are preferably named parakeets, macaws, conures, lovebirds, touis,  etc.

Standardized names 

List of standardized names (exclusively) CINFO (revised 2009 and 2013 supplement from aou.org), next to the valid scientific name recognized by the reference classification (version 3.5,September 2013) of the International Ornithological Congress .

• Red-crowned Parrot – Poicephalus gulielmi
• Yellow-faced parrot – Poicephalus flavifrons
• Brown-headed Parrot – Poicephalus cryptoxanthus
• Red-bellied Parrot – Poicephalus rufiventris
• Meyer’s Parrot – Poicephalus meyeri
• Rüppell’s Parrot – Poicephalus rueppellii
• Niam-niams Parrot – Poicephalus crassus
• Grey parrot – Psittacus erithacus
• Black parrot – Coracopsis nigra
• Robust parrot – Poicephalus robustus
• Vaza parrot – Coracopsis vasa
• Youyou parrot – Poicephalus senegalus

List Parrots Lifespan

Physiology, behavior and ecology 

Apart Parrot-owl, the biological characteristics of parrots are those of the parrot family . There are of course nuances for each species: see the detailed articles for more information on their description or their way of life.

General characteristics 

In the order of the Psittaciformes, we generally call “parrots” the large stocky species with a short tail and ”  parakeets  ” the smallest with slender tails. However, among the birds considered to be parrots, the large Macaw parrots have an oversized slender tail and the Lovebird parrots, stocky and short-tailed, are very small.

The parrot as a pet

History 

These birds have been known and have fascinated people with their colors, intelligence, and ability to speak for centuries. From Native American religious symbols to the representation of the human condition in medieval European literature, these birds have always left traces in human culture. The Moche culture worshiped birds and created many artifacts in their own image.

Today, they are obviously present in ornithological and pet lovers magazines, but they are also used as mascots or logos.

Although they also consumed it, the Owl Parrot was often considered by the Maori to be a loving companion as well. In the xix th century , George Gray then European settler in New Zealand, wrote in a letter that this bird was to him and his friends conduct “closer to that of a dog than a bird”  .

Parrots arrive in Europe in the luggage of explorers, then privateers or pirates. On the old continent, it is fashionable, for centuries, have in his living room this acrobat talkative in often spectacular plumage, precious testimony of exoticism.

Talking Parrot

SOURCE:VOA News

Speaking parrots belong to species capable of learning, building, and transmitting a real language to communicate within a group, associating sounds with objects or certain situations. So parrots are not the only Psittacidae able to speak well. Some parakeets such as the Ring-necked Parakeet or the Budgerigar can also formulate sentences, as long as you think about training them.

Although a large number of these birds are thus able to imitate sounds, with varying gifts depending on the individual, certain species of parrots are more famous than others for their ease in learning the language of humans: the Yellow Parrot, the Greater Eclectus, and Amazon parrots , including the Yellow-naped Amazon, the Yellow-fronted Amazon, and the Blue-fronted Amazon .

Parrots renowned for their ability to imitate human language

• African Grey Parrot
• Great Eclectus (male and female)
• Yellow-naped Amazon
• Amazon Blue-Fronted
• Yellow-faced parrot

Famous speakers:

• Alex was an African Grey Parrot studied for over 20 years by animal psychologist Irene Pepperberg. He had a vocabulary of around 150 words and seemed to understand what he was saying. In addition, he had learned the alphabet, was able to count objects, and recognize 7 different colors. He also seemed able to understand the concept of zero.
• Charlie was Winston Churchill’s parrot; his illustrious owner taught him anti-Nazi insults.
• Viéville The Marquis, his family, and servants were guillotined by revolutionaries because his parrot would have shouted “Long live the king! 

Preserve wild populations

Strong European demand ended up having a negative impact on native parrot populations. Capturing wild birds, harvesting their eggs or simply disturbing nests has become illegal most of the time, under penalty of imprisonment, as has importation. In fact, the trapping of adults and the disturbance of the spawning grounds cause losses and disrupt reproduction, practices denounced by associations for the protection of these birds  .

For example, the Gray of Gabon has been progressively decimated in Africa because of deforestation, but especially of massive imports to Europe. It is classified by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) as a threatened species of vulnerable level (VU) on its red list. It is, however, widely bred in the world and, provided it has not been captured in the wild, it is a parrot whose keeping in small numbers is generally tolerated within the family. However, traffickers in birds do not hesitate to pursue illegal captures in their original habitat, even when villagers pay with their lives to defend these birds.

For its part, the Owl Parrot, originally very abundant in New Zealand, has been extensively hunted by successive colonists, Maori and then Europeans, whether for its flesh, its feathers, to be naturalized or else captured as a pet. In the xxi ^th  century, it is Critically Endangered (CR) because it is still a little over a hundred individuals despite conservation efforts initiated at the end of the xix ^th  Century 

Captive Maintenance

General requirements 

Their often high selling price, their powerful cries, their messy activity, their longevity, the attention and vital space they need, not to mention the powerful pruning shears that serve as their beaks and the claws of their powerful talons, in making animals whose adoption must be carefully considered. Too many owners end up parting after some time, claiming an allergy to plumage.

In nature, they are birds that live in colonies, but without submission to a hierarchy. This translates into captivity by the ease of communicating with his entourage, but also the need for company and little provision for imposed obedience. He will moderate his natural behavior as a readily noisy, destructive, thief and fighter bird only to avoid being rejected from Group.

Long kept in small round cages or chained to a perch, parrots are large birds which, however, require an aviary to respect their basic well-being. In a smaller cage, they will need to make frequent outings or to benefit from semi-freedom to be able to frolic and fly.

Parrot – A Cute And Funny Parrots Videos Compilation

Raising by hand 

Little Girl with a Parrot by Antonio María Esquivel , 1842

The hand-reared parrot (AME) is a bird that has been purposely isolated from the brood to the chick stage to be fed periodically by a breeder using a needleless syringe, filled with a nutritious porridge. . It is theoretically a more tame animal because it has no fear of being handled by humans. Some ethologists however denounce this practice which leads to the contrary these birds develop more aggressive behavior. Indeed, experience shows that the majority of chicks thus “impregnated with humans”, deprived of socialization.with their congeners and any stimulation between two feedings, subsequently have an abnormal behavior which results in permanent anxiety and uncontrolled aggression. We speak of “isolation syndrome” or “primary dyssocialization”. This usually manifests itself at puberty, when the bird seeks to mate, tolerating no intruders in its exclusive relationship with its master. Often sold or abandoned, these birds are very difficult to re-educate, having acquired over time a distrust of humans, accompanied by a refusal of attachment.

Foods to Avoid 

Parsley is often referred to as a poison for parrots. It is not the most dangerous food, however, because while it is true that it does contain psoralens that cause sun sensitization, parsley can be an occasional source of vitamin A. It is especially the avocado which is dangerous because the pepsin of the bark causes a decrease in the absorption of proteins and generates severe edemas. As is rhubarb, whose oxalates are thought to cause fatal gastroenteritis.

If you do not want to see major digestive disorders occur, you should especially avoid giving leftovers to your parrot  .

With regard to authorized foods, the ideal food ration varies according to the species (see detailed articles).

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