10 Fun Facts About Parrots You Never Knew
Anticipating the fun facts about parrots, the first thing that comes into your mind might be the amazement of hearing a parrot that “talks”. Maybe that is why many prefer parrots as their pets after dogs and cats.
But to tell you the truth, there are many ways this graceful bird can make your jaw drop. These fun-loving birds are also more friendly, cute, and often brightly colored to be fantastic pets. If you find parrots to be adorable and appealing, the details you are about to discover will surely make your day.
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What Is So Special About Parrots?
Parrots are special when it comes to their features like their ability to associate words with objects and situations. Some studies show that these playful birdies have a four-year child’s IQ. When compared to other birds, they are also quite sociable and people love them for their vibrant colors and mannerisms. Besides, there are nearly 400 parrot species ever discovered.
How smart is a Parrot?
Parrots are smart creatures as they lean well and faster. You can count them as one of the most intelligent bird species around the world. The most stunning features of parrots include their problem-solving abilities and skills to use tools. They are also fast learners and repeat what they learn whether it be the sound, functions, or any skill. You might have seen them mimic human sounds, but they also imitate other environmental sounds.
🦜10 Interesting Facts About Parrots🦜
Let it be their ability to articulate sounds, hide things and play peek-a-boo just like we have seen in a popular Tiktok video, these all are the ways parrots show their intelligence and smartness. Behind these, there are some interesting facts about parrots that you might not be aware of.
#1 Parrots are way more clever than you think
A parrot’s brain is evolved the same way as human beings. So, they are clever and capable of complex cognition or they have problem-solving, reasoning, action planning, and decision-making abilities. Just like us, their genes play a major role in their brain development. So it is quite shocking to know that some parrot species can have a vocabulary of up to 2000 words.
#2 They live longer just like you
There are parrots who can live up to 80 years. So, whenever you choose a parrot as your pet, it is more likely to live with you up to your lifetime, especially the African Gray parrot. Or, maybe, chances are great that you see your children and even grandchildren play with your pet.
#3 There are parrots that don’t fly
As you can see many parrot species fly stretching out their vibrant colored wings, there are some others that cannot fly. The critically endangered species Kakapo, or the Owl parrot is the heaviest and lives under trees and is active at night. By The middle of the last decade, there were only 150 Kakapos left due to the attacks of predators,
#4 They eat with their hands
Just like you eat with your hands, parrots also show similar mannerisms of eating with their feet. They are also the only birds you can see eating with their feet. Since they have zygodactyl feet (having four toes on each foot that point forward and backward), it is quite easy for them to pick up objects and food and bring them towards the mouth.
#5 They are omnivorous
If you think parrots will only eat seeds or fruits, it will be quite shocking when you learn that parrots eat almost everything other than these like insects, nuts, and meat. They even love tasty treats and use their beak to crack nuts. But you don’t have to give your parrot any meat as you can please them with yummy fruits, veggies, lentils, and nuts.
#6 One parrot can teach another
As per studies, there are certain parrot species that handle almost 2000 human words. Some even showed the ability to discriminate between different objects by their shape. This suggests their keen learning abilities and their understanding of the world around them which is more than what we expect. Besides, if you set out a parrot to the wild after it is taught to talk, it can teach other parrots what it has learned.
#7 Most of them are monogamous or loyal to their mates
Parrots are generally loyal to their partners. The male bird uses some courtship displays to attract a female by dancing and singing. Once they find a mate and breed with them, they are set to live with each other for a lifetime. This pair works together to raise their young and always sleeps next to each other.
#8 They have emotions
The full range of emotions of parrots is often human-like. So, it is fun to see them properly understand things and interact with you and your family. They are extremely empathetic and even can sense if you are sad, stressed, angry or happy. At the same time, you need to be careful about its emotional health if you want to keep a parrot as your pet.
#9 They are attention seekers
Even though parrots have an individualistic identity similar to humans, the majority of parrots are attention seekers. If you long for a parrot as your pet and decide to get one, do it only if you’re ready to spend some quality time with it. They need a happy, fun, and healthy life, to which attention is necessary. So, if you are a busy person, never even think about keeping a parrot.
#10 The vibrant feathers with antibacterial pigments
Beyond their vivid and mesmerizing plumage, parrots hide their defense against damage. Their pigments in their feathers contain Psittacofulvins, which effectively resist bacteria. This way these pigments can protect their glorious plumage from degradation.
Final Thoughts
Parrots are highly sociable, intelligent, emotional, and loyal creatures. Apart from these fun facts about parrots, they can also live long just like you. As such there are many ways you can enjoy their company and presence.
If you are thinking of welcoming a parrot to your home, just keep in mind they are a long-term commitment. They are full of life and can easily be a part of your family. But often take care of their nutrition, cleanliness, and emotional and physical health and assist them with grooming and developing new skills, as these will help you make a strong bond with them.