Puerto Rican Parrot

Parrots are among the many types pets that one may have.  Some have cats,  dogs,  fish and horses but the beauty of the parrot draws many to it. They come in a various colors and sizes.

There are many distinguishing aspects that separate them from other birds.

Parrots have a different type of tongue,  used for tasting,  swallowing and in some cases,  they can be able to make sounds that mimic talk.  Another distinguishing aspect is their beak.  They are large, hooked,  hard and thick adaptable  for cracking nuts,  seeds and pulling leaves off some types of fruit.  Their large beak also assists in climbing among branches of trees or vines.  Their eyes have  one  lid that moves up and down,  resulting in as very large eye situated on the side of the head.  They seldom blink but are able to constrict  or dilate their pupils depending on the amount of light during night of day.  Their ears are hardly visible under the feathers above their eyes.  Parrots feet are very important to this bird.  They often hang upside down on branches, this is accomplished because their scaly  feet which have 4 toes,2 face forward and 2 face backwards.  Because their feet are so strong they are able to sleep using only one leg.  The claws on their feet are capable of grasping food enabling it to tear fruit or nuts when eating.

What kind of parrot should you get? Some are large requiring a much larger cage than a smaller species.  It also depends on the environment where the bird will live and the life style of its owner.  One can see that owning a large macaw is different than owning a smaller budgerigar.  If one wants a smaller bird it may be possible to have 2 or more whereas if  the  owner decides on a large macaw or cockatoo space available will dictate which type of parrot one obtains.  Check out the various types of parrots that fits your need because these pets  can be a very good companions.

By Jack Kidd: for more information see birdwatchingforyou.com