There are more than 300 different species ofparrots in the world. Most are brightly coloured and very noisy. Although some species can copy
the human voice, they will do so only when kept in captivity.
All parrots have a very curved bill, a short neck and short legs. Their toes are arranged so that
two toes point forwards and two backwards.Males and females usually look very similar.
Some species of parrots are in danger of extinction because tropical forests are being cut
down and also because of the number of parrots being sent to Europe and North America as pets.
Vegetarians
Most parrots eat only vegetable matter, including seeds, berries and nuts. Some eat pollen, nectar and insects as well. Often parrots hold their food in the foot while they are feeding. The
tongues of most parrots are short, thick and fleshy, and help the bird to hold a seed or nut in
the top part of its bill while it cracks the nut with the lower part.The kea, which is a parrot living in New Zealand, has evolved some of the habits of a bird of prey.It looks 'buzzard-like' and its long, hooked bill
is used for tearing flesh. It feeds mainly on dead creatures, but it is accused of killing sheep.
Parrots at home
Most parrots live in the tropics, especially in lowland forests, but some live in mountain regions and others are at home in cooler areas.Some birds that belong to the parrot family have escaped or been released from captivity
and can be found nesting wild in some unlikely places. For instance, budgerigars from Australia now breed wild in parts of North America, and the ring-necked parakeet from Africa and India nests in parts of England, where it is becoming unpopular because it likes to eat soft fruit from orchards.
Talking birds
How some birds, such as parrots and budgerigars, manage to imitate human speech puzzles scientists, because monkeys which have a similar vocal arrangement to that of humans
are unable to copy the human voice.It seems that some birds may learn to talk in the same way as human babies. They becomestrongly attached to a person and copy sounds they hear, although such birds do not understand what they are saying. They are likely to continue 'talking' and developing the sounds if it gains
them attention.
Largest
The hyacinth macaw, about
100 cm from bill to tail.
Smallest
The buff-faced pygmy
parrot, 8-4 cm.
Strangest
The kakapo of New
Zealand, which is nocturnal
and flightless.
Subphylum: Vertebrata
Class: Aves
Order: Psittaciformes
Number of species:
About 330
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