Psittacidae: New World and African Parrots
Blue-and-yellow Macaw. © Matthew Grube
The New World and African parrots are a diverse and charismatic family widely esteemed for, among other things, their gaudy plumage, curious intelligence, linguistic plasticity, and capacity to bond with human companions. Their signature characteristic is a stout, deep-based, hooked bill that is roughly semi-circular when closed and more versatile than a Swiss Army knife—as a nutcracker, climbing appendage, loudspeaker, can-opener, leather punch, etc.
Traditionally, all parrots were usually grouped together as a single family, but recent research into their evolutionary history has led to the recognition of four or five families. The Psittacidae is the largest and most diverse of these, with about half of the world’s parrot species, ranging from sparrow-sized parrotlets up to spectacular, pheasant-sized macaws, but consisting mostly of mid-sized birds that we call parrots (in some cases “amazons”) if they are stocky with short tails or parakeets (in some cases “conures”) if they are thin with long tails.
Red-masked Parakeet. © David McQuade
Celebrated members of the family include the most adept avian conversationalist, the Gray Parrot (Psittacus erithacus), and the owner of the strongest avian bill, the Hyacinth Macaw (Anodorhynchus hyacinthinus). Prized as pets, parrots are the high-value commodity of a global “industry”—with both reputable and illicit segments—that has depleted many wild populations, some to the brink of extinction, and created feral urban flocks in locales such as Greater Miami and Los Angeles.
Identification
Many groups of parrots and parakeets are notoriously difficult to identify, largely because they are difficult to see clearly. The majority are green overall and confusingly similar to their relatives under typical observation conditions—as they are most often detected in high, chattering flight, and viewed at a distance against the early morning or late afternoon sky. When they land in a tree, most are surprisingly effective at blending into the foliage despite their gaudy colors.
Taxonomy
As currently configured, the Psittacidae comprise somewhere in the range of 179 to 202 species (plus 5 recently extinct) in two subfamilies, a small African group and the other, much larger Neotropical group, which is provisionally divided into five “tribes”:
Psittacinae: African parrots (12 to 15 species)
Arinae: Neotropical parrots (167 to 187 species, plus 5 extinct)
Amoropsittacini: Parrotlets I (15 species)
Brotogerini: Conures I (10 species)
Androglossini: Amazons (60 to 65 species)
Forpini: Parrotlets II (9 to 10 species)
Arini: Conures II (73 to 87 species, plus 5 extinct)
Green-rumped Parrotlet. © Brian Ahern
Gray Parrot (Psittacus erithacus)
Timneh Parrot (Psittacus timneh)
Brown-necked Parrot (Poicephalus fuscicollis)
“Brown-necked Parrot” (P. r. fuscicollis)
“Gray-headed Parrot” (P. r. suahelicus)
Cape Parrot (Poicephalus robustus)
Red-fronted Parrot (Poicephalus gulielmi)
“Guinean Parrot” (P. g. fantiensis)
“Congo Parrot” (P. g. gulielmi)
“Masai Parrot” (P. g. massaicus)
Meyer’s Parrot (Poicephalus meyeri)
Rüppell’s Parrot (Poicephalus rueppellii)
Brown-headed Parrot (Poicephalus cryptoxanthus)
Niam-niam Parrot (Poicephalus crassus)
Red-bellied Parrot (Poicephalus rufiventris)
Senegal Parrot (Poicephalus senegalus)
Yellow-fronted Parrot (Poicephalus flavifrons)
Gray-hooded Parakeet (Psilopsiagon aymara)
Mountain Parakeet (Psilopsiagon aurifrons)
Tepui Parrotlet (Nannopsittaca panychlora)
Manu Parrotlet (Nannopsittaca dachilleae)
Barred Parakeet (Bolborhynchus lineola)
Rufous-fronted Parakeet (Bolborhynchus ferrugineifrons)
Andean Parakeet (Bolborhynchus orbygnesius)
Lilac-tailed Parrotlet (Touit batavicus)
Scarlet-shouldered Parrotlet (Touit huetii)
Red-fronted Parrotlet (Touit costaricensis)
Blue-fronted Parrotlet (Touit dilectissimus)
Sapphire-rumped Parrotlet (Touit purpuratus)
Brown-backed Parrotlet (Touit melanonotus)
Golden-tailed Parrotlet (Touit surdus)
Spot-winged Parrotlet (Touit stictopterus)
Monk Parakeet (Myiopsitta monachus)
Cliff Parakeet (Myiopsitta luchsi)
Tui Parakeet (Brotogeris sanctithomae)
Plain Parakeet (Brotogeris tirica)
White-winged Parakeet (Brotogeris versicolurus)
Yellow-chevroned Parakeet (Brotogeris chiriri)
Gray-cheeked Parakeet (Brotogeris pyrrhoptera)
Orange-chinned Parakeet (Brotogeris jugularis)
Cobalt-winged Parakeet (Brotogeris cyanoptera)
Golden-winged Parakeet (Brotogeris chrysoptera)
Pileated Parrot (Pionopsitta pileata)
Blue-bellied Parrot (Triclaria malachitacea)
Rusty-faced Parrot (Hapalopsittaca amazonina)
Indigo-winged Parrot (Hapalopsittaca fuertesi)
Red-faced Parrot (Hapalopsittaca pyrrhops)
Black-winged Parrot (Hapalopsittaca melanotis)
Brown-hooded Parrot (Pyrilia haematotis)
Saffron-headed Parrot (Pyrilia pyrilia)
Rose-faced Parrot (Pyrilia pulchra)
Orange-cheeked Parrot (Pyrilia barrabandi)
Caica Parrot (Pyrilia caica)
Bald Parrot (Pyrilia aurantiocephala)
Vulturine Parrot (Pyrilia vulturina)
Short-tailed Parrot (Graydidascalus brachyurus)
Yellow-faced Parrot (Alipiopsitta xanthops)
Dusky Parrot (Pionus fuscus)
Red-billed Parrot (Pionus sordidus)
Scaly-headed Parrot (Pionus maximiliani)
Plum-crowned Parrot (Pionus tumultuosus)
White-capped Parrot (Pionus tumultuosus)
Blue-headed Parrot (Pionus menstruus)
“Blue-headed Parrot” (P. m. menstruus)
“Reichenow’s Parrot” (P. m. reichenowi)
White-crowned Parrot (Pionus senilis)
Bronze-winged Parrot (Pionus chalcopterus)
Black-billed Parrot (Amazona agilis)
White-fronted Parrot (Amazona albifrons)
Yellow-lored Parrot (Amazona xantholora)
Yellow-billed Parrot (Amazona collaria)
Rose-throated Parrot (Amazona leucocephala)
“Bahama Parrot” (A. l. bahamensis)
“Cuban Parrot” (A. l. leucocephala)
“Cayman Parrot” (A. l. caymanensis)
Hispaniolan Parrot (Amazona ventralis)
Puerto Rican Parrot (Amazona vittata)
Festive Parrot (Amazona festiva)
Vinaceous-breasted Parrot (Amazona vinacea)
Tucumán Parrot (Amazona tucumana)
Red-spectacled Parrot (Amazona pretrei)
Imperial Parrot (Amazona imperialis)
Red-tailed Parrot (Amazona brasiliensis)
Orange-winged Parrot (Amazona amazonica)
St. Vincent Parrot (Amazona guildingii)
Red-crowned Parrot (Amazona viridigenalis)
Lilac-crowned Parrot (Amazona finschi)
Diademed Parrot (Amazona diadema)
Red-lored Parrot (Amazona autumnalis)
“Yellow-cheeked Parrot” (A. a. autumnalis)
“Salvin’s Parrot” (A. a. salvini)
Scaly-naped Parrot (Amazona mercenarius)
Kawall’s Parrot (Amazona kawalli)
Northern Mealy Parrot (Amazona guatemalae)
Southern Mealy Parrot (Amazona farinosa)
Blue-cheeked Parrot (Amazona dufresniana)
Red-browed Parrot (Amazona rhodocorytha)
Red-necked Parrot (Amazona arausiaca)
St. Lucia Parrot (Amazona versicolor)
Panama Parrot (Amazona panamensis)
Tres Marías Parrot (Amazona tresmariae)
Yellow-headed Parrot (Amazona oratrix)
Yellow-naped Parrot (Amazona auropalliata)
Orinoco Yellow-crowned Parrot (Amazona ochrocephala)
Yellow-shouldered Parrot (Amazona barbadensis)
Amazonian Yellow-crowned Parrot (Amazona nattereri)
Turquoise-fronted Parrot (Amazona aestiva)
Dusky-billed Parrotlet (Forpus modestus)
Mexican Parrotlet (Forpus cyanopygius)
“Mexican Parrotlet” (F. c. cyanopygius)
“Tres Marías Parrotlet” (F. c. insularis)
Green-rumped Parrotlet (Forpus passerinus)
Turquoise-winged Parrotlet (Forpus spengeli)
Blue-winged Parrotlet (Forpus xanthopterygius)
Large-billed Parrotlet (Forpus crassirostris)
Spectacled Parrotlet (Forpus conspicillatus)
Pacific Parrotlet (Forpus coelestis)
Yellow-faced Parrotlet (Forpus xanthops)
Red-fan Parrot (Deroptyus accipitrinus)
Black-headed Parrot (Pionites melanocephalus)
White-bellied Parrot (Pionites leucogaster)
Yellow-eared Parrot (Ognorhynchus icterotis)
Thick-billed Parrot (Rhynchopsitta pachyrhyncha)
Maroon-fronted Parrot (Rhynchopsitta terrisi)
Ochre-marked Parakeet (Pyrrhura cruentata)
Blaze-winged Parakeet (Pyrrhura devillei)
Maroon-bellied Parakeet (Pyrrhura frontalis)
“Maroon-bellied Parakeet” (P. f. frontalis)
“Green-tailed Parakeet” (P. f. chiripepe)
Pearly Parakeet (Pyrrhura lepida)
Crimson-bellied Parakeet (Pyrrhura perlata)
Green-cheeked Parakeet (Pyrrhura molinae)
Pfrimer’s Parakeet (Pyrrhura pfrimeri)
Gray-breasted Parakeet (Pyrrhura griseipectus)
Maroon-faced Parakeet (Pyrrhura leucotis)
Painted Parakeet (Pyrrhura picta)
“Painted Parakeet” (P. p. picta)
“Sinú Parakeet” (P. p. subandina)
“Todd’s Parakeet” (P. p. caeruleiceps)
“Azuero Parakeet” (P. p. eisenmanni)
Venezuelan Parakeet (Pyrrhura emma)
Santarém Parakeet (Pyrrhura amazonum)
“Santarém Parakeet” (P. a. amazonum)
“Madeira Parakeet” (P. a. snethlageae)
“Cristalino Parakeet” (P. a. lucida)
Bonaparte’s Parakeet (Pyrrhura lucianii)
Rose-fronted Parakeet (Pyrrhura roseifrons)
“Wavy-breasted Parakeet” (P. r. peruviana)
“Garlepp’s Parakeet” (P. r. parvifrons)
“Rose-fronted Parakeet” (P. r. roseifrons)
Santa Marta Parakeet (Pyrrhura viridicata)
Fiery-shouldered Parakeet (Pyrrhura egregia)
Maroon-tailed Parakeet (Pyrrhura melanura)
“Chocó Parakeet” (P. m. pacifica)
“Maroon-tailed Parakeet” (P. m. melanura)
El Oro Parakeet (Pyrrhura orcesi)
White-breasted Parakeet (Pyrrhura albipectus)
Black-capped Parakeet (Pyrrhura rupicola)
Flame-winged Parakeet (Pyrrhura calliptera)
Blood-eared Parakeet (Pyrrhura hoematotis)
Rose-crowned Parakeet (Pyrrhura rhodocephala)
Sulphur-winged Parakeet (Pyrrhura hoffmanni)
Austral Parakeet (Enicognathus ferrugineus)
Slender-billed Parakeet (Enicognathus leptorhynchus)
Burrowing Parakeet (Cyanoliseus patagonus)
Hyacinth Macaw (Anodorhynchus hyacinthinus)
Lear’s Macaw (Anodorhynchus leari)
Glaucous Macaw (Anodorhynchus glaucus) †
Aztec Parakeet (Eupsittula astec)
Jamaican Parakeet (Eupsittula nana)
Orange-fronted Parakeet (Eupsittula canicularis)
Peach-fronted Parakeet (Eupsittula aurea)
Brown-throated Parakeet (Eupsittula pertinax)
“Yellow-headed Parakeet” (E. p. pertinax)
“Veraguan Parakeet” (E. p. ocularis)
“Gray-throated Parakeet” (E. p. aeruginosa)
“Brown-throated Parakeet” (E. p. chrysophrys)
Cactus Parakeet (Eupsittula cactorum)
Golden-plumed Parakeet (Leptosittaca branickii)
Golden Parakeet (Guaruba guarouba)
Blue-crowned Parakeet (Thectocercus acuticaudatus)
“Blue-crowned Parakeet” (T. a. acuticaudatus)
“Bolivian Parakeet” (T. a. neumanni)
Red-shouldered Macaw (Diopsittaca nobilis)
Green Parakeet (Psittacara holochlorus)
Socorro Parakeet (Psittacara brevipes)
Red-throated Parakeet (Psittacara rubritorquis)
Pacific Parakeet (Psittacara strenuus)
Crimson-fronted Parakeet (Psittacara finschi)
Scarlet-fronted Parakeet (Psittacara wagleri)
Cordilleran Parakeet (Psittacara frontatus)
Mitred Parakeet (Psittacara mitratus)
Red-masked Parakeet (Psittacara erythrogenys)
White-eyed Parakeet (Psittacara leucophthalmus)
Cuban Parakeet (Psittacara euops)
Hispaniolan Parakeet (Psittacara chloropterus)
Puerto Rican Parakeet (Psittacara maugei) †
Guadeloupe Parakeet (Psittacara labati) †
Carolina Parakeet (Conuropsis carolinensis) †
Dusky-headed Parakeet (Aratinga weddellii)
Black-hooded Parakeet (Aratinga nenday)
Sun Parakeet (Aratinga solstitialis)
Sulphur-breasted Parakeet (Aratinga maculata)
Jandaya Parakeet (Aratinga jandaya)
Golden-capped Parakeet (Aratinga auricapillus)
Spix’s Macaw (Cyanopsitta spixii)
Red-bellied Macaw (Orthopsittaca manilatus)
Blue-winged Macaw (Primolius maracana)
Blue-headed Macaw (Primolius couloni)
Golden-collared Macaw (Primolius auricollis)
Blue-and-yellow Macaw (Ara ararauna)
Blue-throated Macaw (Ara glaucogularis)
Military Macaw (Ara militaris)
Great Green Macaw (Ara ambiguus)
Scarlet Macaw (Ara macao)
Red-and-green Macaw (Ara chloropterus)
Red-fronted Macaw (Ara rubrogenys)
Chestnut-fronted Macaw (Ara severus)
References
Boyd, J.H., 2018. Taxonomy in Flux: Basal Australaves. http://jboyd.net/Taxo/List12.html#psittaciformes. (Posted July 6, 2018. Accessed August 20, 2020.)
Forshaw, J.M. 2010. Parrots of the World. Princeton University Press, Princeton, N.J.
Juniper, T., and M. Parr. 1998. Parrots: A Guide to Parrots of the World. Yale University Press, New Haven.
Roberson, D. 2014. Bird Families of the World: New World and Gray Parrots, Psittacidae, http://creagrus.home.montereybay.com/parrots.html. (Posted April 16, 2014. Accessed February 18, 2018.)
Text © Russell Fraker / August 20, 2020