Parrots are wonderful creatures with their stunningly beautiful colors, super intellect, and their show-stopping ability to speak words and imitate sounds. If you are considering adopting a Parrot here are brief descriptions of eight types. Most have considerable life spans, so knowing what to expect will go a long way towards helping you choose once and well. African Greys are medium size birds that are grey and sometimes have a red tail and or red wings. Many speak using a large vocabulary of words, and imitate sounds they hear, but there is no guarantee that every Grey, and more specifically, your Grey will speak. Buying the bird for this feature is not a good idea. They can be very loud, and sometimes even scream. They are demanding in terms of the human attention they need, but will more than reward your attention with love and loyalty. Cockatiels are gentle natured birds that are generally less expensive than most other parrots. They are a great choice for a first time bird owner because they are non-aggressive and adapt very easily to their humans particularly if they have been weaned, hand fed, and adopted when very young. They are a hardy birds with a usual life span of between 15 and 20 years. Normally grey in the wild, there is a huge color selection available ranging from white to cinnamon with many mutations in between, but are most often thought of as cream-colored with a yellow plume. Cockatoos look very similar to Cockatiels but are much larger and can be aggressive and even bite if caution is not used. This is a generalization, but making sure you choose one that is gentle will make a better pet that can be enjoyed by you and children in the family as well. They are much more costly ranging upwards of $1,000 as opposed to Cockatiels which range in the $100's to purchase. They are quite loud, but can learn a wide variety of words which is one of the reasons for the added cost to purchase. Conures are small in size by parrot standards with long tails and a wide variety of vivid colors available. They are highly intelligent and love to play and clown around. They can be taught to do tricks, and may learn to speak. An experienced owner who is home a lot is best because they need a minimum of several hours each day of socialization to avoid behavior problems and biting. Providing lots of toys can cut down on their natural tendency toward excessive chewing. Their screeching is a well-known trait, and whereas it is not desirable to totally eliminate it, early training can keep it from becoming a problem. Lovebirds are generally only 5 to 6 inches long and come in a variety of colors. If you have a lot of time adopting one will work; if not, getting 2 at the same time will provide the social interaction that they need, but be prepared for them bonding more to each other than to you. Though small in size, they have big personalities and need daily training and handling to keep them tame. They can bite and be territorial so they are not for the faint of heart. But with proper care they can be cuddly, loyal companions that live 15 years or longer. Macaws are the largest birds in the Parrot family and can live on average up to 50 years. Know that adopting a Macaw means a commitment for life. Because of their size they need a lot of space inside the cage, and need to be allowed outside the cage daily for a minimum of several hours. They have strong beaks and can chew excessively to the point of destroying furniture. They need daily human interaction and training, and a wide variety of toys that are rotated on a regular basis to provide constant stimulation. Parakeet literally means long tail and serves as an excellent beginning to the description of this medium size member of the Parrot family. Available in a wide variety of colors, they range in size from 7 to 18 inches long. Their personalities are generally friendly, social and energetic making it a popular choice for those who want a bird as a companion. They are quite intelligent and in many cases can learn to speak. Parrotlets are miniature size parrots that offer the same wide spectrum of colors generally associated with the Parrot family, only they are usually less than 5 inches long. Though small, they are fearless and will often attack other bigger birds and animals. They, as any bird, should be constantly supervised when out of the cage and kept separate from other birds and animals. With proper care they can live 15 years or more.
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