The Birds
Parrot, the common name applied to any of about 340 species of brightly colored birds that make up the parrot family. Groups of parrots that have their own common names include the cockatoos, lories, lovebirds, macaws, and parakeets. In length, parrots range from the Buff-faced Pygmy Parrot of New Guinea at 8.4cm (3.3in) to the Hyacinth Macaw of South America at 100 cm (39.4 in). A large part of the macaw's length is attributable to its long tail, and it is probably outweighed by the very large (60cm/23.6in) but short-tailed Palm Cockatoo of New Guinea.
Parrots have curved, hooked bills and short legs. Their toes are zygodactyl - that is, the first and fourth are turned backward. They walk awkwardly but are excellent climbers, often using their bills to pull themselves up to a higher branch. In most parrots the tongue is thick and muscular, used deftly for manipulating seeds, which, with fruit, as their principal foods. In the lories the tongue is longer and has a brush-like tip for feeding on nectar.
Most parrots are tropical, with only a few species reaching northern and southern temperate areas. The areas of greatest diversity include South America, Australia, and New Guinea and adjacent islands. Relatively few species inhabit Africa or mainland Asia. The predominant body color in the family is green, but there are many exceptions. Some American parrots are predominantly blue or yellow, and many have touches of red in the plumage as well. The most colorful parrots are the lories, in which reds and greens predominate, but blue, purple, brown, yellow, and black also appear. The cockatoos are mostly white or black, with touches of yellow, red, or pink.
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