Medium-Sized Parrots: Although many parrot lovers dream of owning a large macaw or cockatoo, the reality is that most people don’t have the time, space, or resources to properly care for such a large species. and complex. The good news is that there are still plenty of smaller parrots out there.
Medium-sized parrots are full of personality, and many species can learn to perform tricks and talk just like their larger parrot cousins. They can also form strong bonds with their caretakers. Here are eight species of medium-sized parrots that make excellent pets.
Top 8 Small to Medium-Sized Pet parrots That Can Talk
Regardless of the size of your pet parrot, it is recommended that you provide it with an enclosure that is as large as possible and within your reach. Also, give your bird as much exercise out of the cage as possible.
Cockatiel
Cockatiels can be very affectionate animals, especially when hand raised, and they are intelligent birds that can be taught many tricks.
Although most cockatiels don’t talk, they can learn to imitate sounds, such as whistles, doorbells, and telephone rings. But they don’t tend to be as vocal as some other parrot species, making them a good choice for apartment living.
- Length: 12 to 13 inches
- Weight : 3 ounces
- Physical Characteristics: Gray body; yellow face and crest; orange cheeks; long tail ; mutations: albinos, lutinos, feet and cinnamon
Pet cockatiel parrot singing
SOURCE: African Grey Parrot Pet
Quaker parrot
Quaker parrots are often confident, outgoing birds that enjoy interacting with their keepers. They tend to be quite vocal, and some can develop an impressive vocabulary of human words.
But because Quakers can adapt to many climates and become invasive, keeping them in some areas of the United States is illegal. Know your local laws before acquiring one.
- Length: 11 to 12 inches
- Weight: 3 to 5 ounces
- Physical Characteristics: Greenhead, wings, and body; gray chest, cheeks, and throat; blue flight feathers; mutations: blue, albino, cinnamon, lutino, and foot
Sun Conure
There are many species of conure commonly kept as pets, one of the most popular being the beautiful sun conure. These intelligent and playful birds generally enjoy spending time with their keepers.
But don’t let their average size fool you when it comes to their noise level. Sun conures are known to be particularly noisy, so keep that in mind if you’re considering one.
- Length: 12 inches
- Weight: 4 to 5 ounces
- Physical Characteristics: Bright orange and yellow with green and blue highlights; black beak and feet; white circles around the eyes
Senegal parrot
Hand-raised and well-socialized, Senegal parrots can be friendly and playful pets, although some tend to attach themselves to only one family member.
The fact that several people interact with the bird on a regular basis can help it form other bonds. Senegalese are relatively quiet for a parrot species, but many can learn to say a few words and imitate noises.
- Length: 10 inches
- Weight: 4 to 5 ounces
- Physical Characteristics: Gray head; green wings and chest; red to yellow V-shaped patch on the belly
Indian ringneck parakeet
Indian Rose-ringed Parakeets are intelligent birds capable of developing an impressive vocabulary. These birds have a reputation for being a little skittish, especially during adolescence, but colors that are often handled and well cared for can be very friendly parrots. They need lots of mental and physical stimulation, or they may resort to destructive behaviors.
- Length: 14 to 17 inches
- Weight: 4 ounces
- Physical Characteristics: Green plumage; blue tail; yellow under the wings; males have black and pink rings around their necks; mutations include Blue, Cinnamon, Albino, and Lutino
SOURCE: African Grey Parrot Pet
Jenday Conure
The Jenday conure is almost as popular as the solar conure, and they have almost similar temperaments. These birds are intelligent, playful, and social.
And some are even a little cuddly, loving to ride on their favorite person’s shoulder or in a shirt while scratching their heads. But due to their social nature, they can become howlers or exhibit destructive behavior if they feel ignored.
- Length: 12 inches
- Weight: 4 ounces
- Physical Characteristics: Red-orange plumage on the body; green on wings and back; blue on the tail and the wings which garnish it; head yellow with orange spots; black beak; gray paws
Rainbow Lorikeet
Native to Australia and Indonesia, rainbow lorikeets are beautiful to look at. They are generally social birds, known for their antics. A hand-fed and properly cared-for lorikeet can be very affectionate with its caretaker, and even in the wild, these birds are known to be friendly towards people.
- Length: 10 to 12 inches
- Weight: 3 to 6 ounces
- Physical Characteristics: Blue plumage on face and belly; green on wings, back, and head; red breast; yellow and orange highlights on the sides; red beak; gray feet
Black-hooded Parakeet
The black-hooded parakeet also called the nanday conure, is a rather noisy bird. But she also tends to be very outgoing and can learn to talk and do bird tricks.
In fact, one of the most popular tricks she can learn is to collect a dollar bill from someone and find that same person to return the money. These birds are intelligent and inquisitive, and they need lots of playtime and socialization.
- Length: 10 to 11 inches
- Weight: 5 ounces
- Physical Characteristics: Blackhead; green body; grey-blue patch on chest; blue tail; red accent on the legs; white eye circles; black beak