Different Parrots & What They Eat

Parrot General Information

• Parrots are divided into three families; Psittacidae ("true" parrots), Cacatuidae (cockatoos) and Strigopidae (New Zealand parrots). They are found in almost every tropical area on the planet, but mostly in South America and Australia. Parrots are mostly granivorous, or seed-eating, though some consume meat and others are scavengers.

True Parrots

• Most species of parrots are classified as true parrots. The family is subdivided into Psittacinae (typical parrots) and the Loriinae (lories and lorikeets). These birds can be found in North and South America, Asia, Africa and the Pacific Islands. True parrots also have the most diverse diets of the three families. True parrots eat mostly nuts, seeds, berries, fruits, roots and leaves, though some have specialized diets. Pygmy parrots eat fungus and lichens. Fig parrots eats figs and other fruits. Lorries and lorikeets are mostly nectar feeders; their tongues are specially designed to retrieve nectar from flowers. Some true parrots also eat meat on occasion.

Cockatoos

• Cockatoos are a family of parrots found mostly in Australia and the South Pacific islands. The family, which represents 21 species, includes cockatoos, cockatiels and galahs. These birds eat mostly seeds, hard nuts, roots and tubers. They have specialized beaks for cracking hard-shelled nuts and digging out roots. Some cockatoos also eat insects. Cockatoos can be considered a pest in some areas because they will eat food crops. Some cockatoos have specialized diets and eat the foods most abundant in their areas; for example, Red-tailed Black Cockatoos eat mostly eucalyptus seeds because eucalyptus is most abundant in their habitat.

New Zealand Parrots

• New Zealand parrots are the smallest family of parrots in terms of the number of species. Four of the six species known to have existed are still living. The family includes the two genera, Nestorini and Strigopini. Nestorini includes Kea, Kaka (North and South Island subspecies), Norfolk Island Kaka and Chatham Island Kaka. Strigops includes one species, the Kakapo. The Kea, Kaka and Kakapo are still extant, though endangered. New Zealand parrots eats seeds, nuts, berries and roots mainly, but also consume insects and carrion.