Bright plumage, dazzling feathers and fascinating calls – this is what makes parrots some of the most beautiful birds in the world. Many species of birds come under the category of parrots and they have long been admired for their beautiful feathers and ability to mimic the human voice, giving the illusion that they can ‘talk’. They are also one of the smartest animals in the world. They are also highly intelligent birds and are known to use many tools to help with eating the food they have collected. Here is a list of the 10 most beautiful parrots in the world.
Beautiful Parrots In The World
1. Scarlet Macaw
Scarlet Macaw is one of the largest and beautiful parrot’s species in the world and is known for its colourful plumage and intelligence. Scarlet Macaws live in rainforests of Central and South America but are now found as pets all around the world. They have a predominantly red body with yellow, greenish and blue colouration on the wing and tail feathers. They are highly intelligent and have the ability to recognise shape and colour. Because of their demand as pets, their population in the wild is declining and they are being illegally trafficked for the pet trade. The Macaw is one of the most colorful birds in the world.
Also Read: Top 10 Major Wetlands in the World
2. Eclectus
This parrot species is found only in the rainforests of Papua New Guinea and has bright plumage of different colours in males and females. Both the sexes of this species look so different that if they were considered separate species for a long time. The male has green plumage and a yellow-orange beak while the female has red and purple feathers with a black beak. They communicate danger by raising the feathers on their head and have a lifespan of approximately 30 years. These birds too are popular pets and so are threatened in the wild. It is also one of the smartest talking birds in the world.
3. Hyacinth Macau
This is the largest species of flying parrot in the world and is found only in the rainforests of Southern Brazil. This beautiful parrot has an average length of 40 inches and bright blue and yellow feathers with a large black beak. In controlled experiments, they have shown the ability to use tools to help with obtaining and eating food. This shows they are highly intelligent. This species is highly endangered in the wild and deforestation threatens to push it to extinction. Macaws are one of the longest living animals in the world.
Image Source: Wikimedia
4. Sun Parakeet
This parrot could not have been named more accurately. The bright yellow and orange plumage of the Sun Parrot dazzles as it flies across the forest canopy in South America. The male and female look the same and exhibit no sexual dimorphism but the juvenile of this species has a dull green colour that changes to the characteristic yellow after six months. This bird has the ability to mimic the human voice and lives in groups. These groups search for food together and nest in close proximity. Also, read about best flying animals in the world.
5. African Grey
This parrot is native to the Congo region in Africa and lives in dense forests that are spread on over half of the country’s total land area. They have a large wingspan of about 50 centimetres and are grey in colour with slight dark and light variations in the plumage. Like most other parrots, they do not exhibit sexual dimorphism i.e. the male and female have a similar appearance. As pets, they are very talkative and quickly pick up human sounds. They are also very intelligent and can recognize patterns invoices.
6. Blue and Yellow Macaw
Like the Scarlet Macaw, this beautiful parrot is found in the forests of South America near wetlands, marshes and swamps in rainforests. They are similar in size and structure. Their plumage is predominantly blue with a bright yellow underside and green and black colouration on the head. They too are popular pets and have been hunted for their feathers, trafficked to be sold as exotic pets and forced to perform in circuses. Their population is in danger because of habitat destruction too.
7. Galah
These birds also are known as Rose-breasted Cockatoos and are found quite commonly in Australia. They have a distinctive pink plumage with a grey head and short tail. The males and females look almost alike except for the eye colour. These birds are very social and fly together in the search for food in a flock of over 1000 individuals. These flocks travel great distances searching for food and sometimes fly in very interesting formations.
8. Dusky Lory
The dusky lory, also known as the white-rumped lory is found in the forests of Papua New Guinea. It has a length of about nine inches and has an orange and black plumage with a large orange beak. It is a highly intelligent bird and is kept as a pet by many. It can mimic the human voice and is social. The diet of this bird consists of fruits, berries and seeds.
Image Source: Wikimedia
9. Bronze Winged Parrot
This is one of the most beautiful parrots is found in the forests of South America and is mostly blue and purple in colour. It has a large bronze coloured spot on its wings which gives it the name. Their numbers in the wild are very low because of the trafficking as pets and deforestation. They live in tree hollows and breed from March to June. Each season the female lays three to four eggs.
Image Source: Wikimedia
10. Sulphur Crested Cockatoo
This distinctive looking parrot is found in Southeast Asia and Australia and is easily recognizable by its large light yellow coloured crest and brown beak. The sexes look very similar but like the galah, they can be differentiated by eye colour. They also have a variety of calls that each symbolises a different thing. They have a long lifespan of 70 years in the wild and nest in tree hollows. Families of these birds are known to stay together for many years. The main diet of this parrot is berries, seeds and roots.
SULPHUR CRESTED COCKATOO
Beautiful Parrots are today very popular pets but what we do not see is the harm done to those birds to make them suitable pets. Many times, the trade in these birds is banned because their population in the wild is declining and traders resort to illegal trade and trafficking of such birds that are in high demand as pets. Moreover, keeping wild birds as pets destroys their natural biological rhythms and makes them susceptible to diseases. Illegal trade in feathers of parrots is also rampant and needs to be stopped immediately. The jewels of the forest – the multicoloured beautiful parrots – are rapidly declining because of human interference and if they go extinct, we will be denying the world a large part of its natural heritage.
