Companion Parrot

Companion parrot is a general term used for any parrot kept as a pet that interacts abundantly with its human counterpart. Generally, most species of parrot can make good companions.

Species of parrots that are kept as companions include large parrots such as Amazons, African Greys, Cockatoos, Eclectus, Hawk-headed Parrots, and Macaws; mid-sized birds such as Caiques, Conures, Quakers, Pionus, Poicephalus, Rose-ringed parakeets, and Rosellas, and many of the smaller types including Brotogeris, Budgies, Cockatiels, Parakeets, Lovebirds, Parrotlets and Lineolated Parakeets.

Some species of lories and lorikeets are kept as pets but are quite messy, and often more popular as aviary birds. Hanging parrots, and Fig parrots are normally kept as aviary birds and not as pets. Some species as Pygmy parrots and Kakapos, Night Parrots, and about half of the species of parrotlet, are not considered companion parrots due to difficult dietary requirements or unavailability.

The Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (also known as CITES) has made the trapping and trade of all wild parrots illegal, because taking parrots from the wild has endangered or reduced some of the rarer or more valuable species. However, many parrot species are still common; some abundant parrot species may still be legally killed as crop pests in their native countries. Endangered parrot species are better suited to conservation breeding programs than as companions.