Parrots
Three hundred and twenty-eight different species of parrots live on the
Earth. Parrots are divided into groups such as cockatoos, lories,
lovebirds, macaws, and parakeets. Parrots range in size from the pygmy
of the South Pacific which is only 3Ѕ inches long to the hyacinth macaw which is about 10 inches long. Much of its length is in its long tail. Parrots weigh from just a few ounces to 3Ѕ pounds. Most parrots are predominantly green, especially the ones from South America. Some American parrots are mostly blue or yellow. However, parrots may have red, green, blue, purple, white, pink, brown, yellow, and even black. They have large heads and short necks. The zygodactyolus feet of the parrot have two toes that point backwards and two toes that point forward. These toes make the parrot excellent climbers. Smaller parrots live 10 to 15 years. Larger parrots such as the macaws and cockatoos live more than 75 years. These birds reach maturity in 1 to 4 years. Wild parrots live in the forest of tropical zones including South America, Australia, and New Guinea. A few live in Africa and mainland Asia. Parrots are hole nesters. They build their nests in holes in trees, termite mounts, rock cavities, or ground tunnels. A few exceptions will build stick nests. The thick muscular tongue helps the parrot eat fruit, seeds, buds, nectar, and pollen. Sometimes they will eat insects. Their strong beak is hooked. They feed their young by regurgitation.
» Size: from 9 cm (3.6 in.) pygmy parrots to 100 cm (40 in.) hyacinth macaw
.» Weight: from 65 grams to a few ounces for the small species, to more than 1.6 kg (3.5 lb.) for a large hyacinth macaw
» Description: can be found in every color of the spectrum, but many South American species tend toward olive green. All have zygodactylus feet, two toes that point foward and two toes that point backwards. Most members of the parrot family also have strongly hooked beaks
.» Life span: smaller species between 10 and 15 years, larger macaws and cockatoos to more than 75 years» Habitat: primarily forest dwellers of tropical zones around the world» Diet: fruit, seeds, buds, nectar, and pollen. Occasionally insects or other meat will be eaten
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