Parrot Facts

Technically the family breaks down into approximately eighty genera and approximately three hundred and seventy-five species.

Cockatoos, lorikeets, lovebirds, parrots, macaws and parakeets all belong to the family.

Their colorful feathers have long made parrots a favorite of the pet bird trade. Unfortunately, bird lovers historically have loved parrot to death.

BirdLife International lists nineteen different extinct parrot species.

Currently, forty eight species are listed as either endangered or critically endangered.

While the international trade in wild parrots is governed by the terms of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES), strong demand for parrots creates a black market trade.

Experts estimate that many parrot species can sell for hundreds to tens of thousands of dollars.

Strong demand also translates into parrot overkill. Experts also estimate that tens of thousands of native Mexican parrots are killed each year in an attempt to catch and ship them into the United States.

Here are some additional parrot facts.

• The Hyacinth Macaw (Anodorhynchus hyacinthinus), a South American native species, is the world's largest parrot.
• The Buff-faced Pygmy Parrot (Micropsitta pusio), a New Guinea native, is the world's smallest parrot.
• Many parrot species have long life spans. Cockatoos, native to Australia, can live up to sixty years. Macaws can live up to fifty years.
• The African Gray Parrots (Psittacus erithacus) is known as the talking parrot for its ability to mimic human words.
• The Carolina parakeet (Conuropsis carolinensis), the only species native to the United States, became extinct more than a century ago.

© 2010 Patricia A. Michaels