big parrots

The parrot is one of the most common birds ever tamed by man. Everyone recognizes this bird, it is so famous and popular. To date, there are about 300 – 350 species. Some of them are already considered extinct, others are listed in the Red Book.

Everything you need to know about big parrots

There are really a lot of parrots. They are bright and not very bright, active and calm, warlike and peaceful, talkative and silent, small and large. Today we will talk about the largest parrots, about the features of their character and content. Most often among lovers of birds there are three types:

• Ara

• Cockatoo

• Jaco

Let us examine them in more detail.

Ara parrot

This parrot is considered the most difficult to keep at home. This very beautiful bright bird is really large: an adult can reach 1 meter in length. Naturally, it is not possible to find a place for such a giant in every apartment. In addition, Macaw is a dominant bird. Even if she has lived with a person for several years, she will not give up trying to win a leading position in their relationship. Of course, this results in all sorts of “disagreements” between the bird and the owner. A person needs to have a considerable supply of patience and tact, so as not to turn a good companion into a dangerous opponent with a powerful beak. The macaw itself is a smart and playful bird. With the right approach to learning, he quickly begins to speak well: he is able to learn up to 20 – 30 words. Among the macaws, the most common species found in the home are:

Red macaw

Quite a large and beautiful bird. Body length can reach up to 90 cm, wingspan – up to 80 cm, tail length – up to 60 cm.

Blue-yellow macaw

The most popular large parrot that can be kept at home. The body length reaches 95 cm, the wingspan is 80 cm. This is a very sociable bird that loves to play. She needs a lot of attention from the owner.

Hyacinth macaw

This is the largest, rarest and most expensive parrot of the macaw family. Individual individuals can reach up to 1 meter in length, and their body weight – up to 1,5 kg, although at the same time its wingspan is less than that of its previous counterparts – about 75 cm.

Representatives of the macaw family are by far the largest parrots that are found on our planet.

Parrot cockatoo

These parrots are funny and nimble birds. Excellent tricksters, they are easy to train: by nature they are lovers of squats and funny bows. All this makes these birds popular domestic birds. The body length of an adult Cockatoo can reach 60 cm. A special distinguishing feature of the cockatoo is a beautiful crest on the head. It is a kind of barometer of the parrot’s mood. If the bird is tense or extremely interested, then a row of long feathers on the head straightens, forming a kind of mohawk crest. This makes him cute and funny. The cockatoo learns to speak easily, but, unfortunately, like the macaw, it is not able to remember many words (its limit is 10 – 20 words). But at the same time they are wonderful imitators. With pleasure they imitate the sounds of the house, the voices of animals, copy the favorite songs of the owners, which they sing. The most common types in houses:

Yellow-eared mourning cockatoo. This is a rather large parrot – about 55 – 60 cm in length, the weight of individual individuals reaches 900 grams. It got its unusual name due to black plumage and a yellow spot next to the ear. Black cockatoo. This bird is much larger than its counterparts in this family. Its body reaches a length of 80 cm, weight ranges from 700 to 1000 grams. The parrot has a very beautiful black plumage with a subtle greenish tint. On the head – long narrow feathers fold into a beautiful tuft. The black cockatoo is one of the ten largest parrots in the world.

Parrot gray

Jaco is a parrot that is 100% suitable for home keeping. He has a playful and friendly disposition. We can easily teach both various tricks (dances, bows, etc.) and conversation. Moreover, Jaco’s conversation, unlike other parrots, is meaningful. He not only remembers the words, but also pronounces them to the point, i.e. logically thoughtful. Some individuals even memorize poetry. The appearance of the Jaco is not as bright as that of the macaw, for example, it is a gray bird with bright feathers only on the tail. But this does not at all detract from its main advantages, and Jaco rightfully enjoys the universal love of many bird lovers.

Of course, the maintenance of large parrots entails a lot of trouble, since in order to comfortably arrange a rather rather large bird, the owners need to work hard. The most important thing is to think about what should be the cage for a large parrot. Large parrots such as macaws or cockatoos should ideally be kept in an aviary. The room should be such that the bird can spread its large wings without touching the walls of the cage. This is the main selection criterion.

Cage for large parrots

The cage must be made of stainless material and be all-metal. The rods should be about 4 mm in diameter and not painted. The fact is that parrots love to gnaw everything – this fate will not escape the cage. That is why there should not be any toxic chemicals on the cage so that the bird does not get poisoned.

We must not forget about the high intelligence of large parrots. They are very smart and capable of many things. In particular, if you do not take care of a lock with a key or a very tight spring, then the parrot will easily get out and only “horns and legs” can remain from your apartment. Remember this. Do not underestimate their talents. Cages for large parrots should be equipped with a retractable tray, which is separated from the cage by a metal mesh that prevents the bird from eating food that has fallen into the garbage and droppings.

Perches, on which parrots love to sit so much, should be made of hardwood species: beech, ash, oak, apple. At the same time, the diameter of the perch should be such that the bird’s fingers do not close (this will prevent many diseases of the paws). Perches should be washed regularly with boiling water and replaced with new ones in time. Feeders and drinkers must first of all be strong in order to withstand the onslaught of strong beaks. The number of feeders is usually determined by the number of types of food.

Large parrots do not need a separate bath – they can bathe under a spray bottle or right in a cage under shower jets. Large parrots are not cheap, they are not easy to get, caring for them requires certain knowledge and skills, but at the same time they are very interesting, funny, intelligent birds, real companions for humans. Often they become full-fledged members of the family, whom all its members love very much.