Many animals have adapted to their environment, and their green exterior helps them to seamlessly blend into their natural habitats.
Most parrot species originate from South America where thick rainforests cover the majority of the continent.
Green plumage is one of their biggest advantages there, as these birds can hide from predators in green shrubs and trees.
We take a closer look at 25 of the best-loved green parrots and find out what makes these types of birds unique.
Why Are Some Parrots Green?
With their native environment in South America, it’s not surprising that green is the most dominant color in parrots, although it’s unusual to find a parrot that has fully green plumage.
Typically, parrots also have other shades and colors mixed in their feathers. This creates a wonderful pattern for this bird species.
There is a large variety of green parrot species but some of the most common pet birds include Amazon parrots, budgies, and lovebirds.
One of the most interesting things about green parrots is that their feathers aren’t green. Parrots only produce yellow and red pigments.
When light hits their feathers, it’s reflected off and scattered. This creates the trick of the parrot being green.
The green feathers of these wild birds have sponge-like cells that can reflect green-blue light. They also have a pigment that filters the blue color leaving only the green visible to us.
The skin pigment melanin can likewise affect a parrot’s feather coloring. Melanin is responsible for the darkness or lightness of the parrot’s plumage.
Melanin production is influenced by the parrot’s diet, so depending on what a parrot eats, its feathers can look lighter or darker.
This is also a good way for parrot owners to visually see what impact a bird’s diet can have on their feathers.
Varieties Of Green Parrots
Now that we know what makes a parrot look like it has green feathers, we can take a look at the most colorful parrots with striking green bodies.
Most parrots aren’t just green but they usually also have streaks of yellow, red, and blue in their feathers.
The majority of these parrots are wild birds making them unsuitable for captivity. Still, some of these are also kept as popular pet birds.
Lovebird
The lovebird is a small parrot with mainly green feathers and some bright orange, yellow and black mixed in around its upper body.
They’re often found in pairs because they mate for life. While you don’t have to have a pair, they often do better in captivity when they have a companion.
These popular pet parrots are very social creatures, making them great pets.
They’re friendly towards humans and enjoy having fun with people. They’re also very affectionate and will show their appreciation through kisses and nuzzles.
The lifespan of a lovebird is between 10 and 15 years.
Quaker Parrot
The Quaker parrot is a medium-sized parrot with mostly green feathers except for its head and neck. It also has a few brownish feathers mixed in.
With its scientific name Myiopsitta monachus, the Quaker parrot is also commonly called monk parrot or Quaker parakeet.
Quaker parrots have received their name due to the little gray part on their neck. This looks a bit like a traditional Quaker bib.
It’s a highly intelligent bird that loves attention and enjoys games. These parrots are well known for being able to mimic human speech.
You will find that some US states have made the possession of these birds illegal, so make sure to check the legal status where you live before you buy a Quaker parrot.
The lifespan of a Quaker parrot is between 20 and 30 years.
Amazon Parrot
The Amazon parrot is one of the most popular green pet parrots. Amazon parrots have a beautiful green body with individual markings on their forehead.
Depending on the species, their feathers can range in color and shading.
What made them such popular pets is that they are social birds. They enjoy being the center of attention of their owner.
They love playing games and spending time outside the cage. Owners need to train them appropriately as they can become aggressive.
With their worldwide popularity in the pet trade, Amazon parrots are close to extinction. As the capture of these birds is illegal, only breeders are allowed to sell them.
The lifespan of an Amazon parrot is around 50 years.
Military Macaw
The military macaw is a large parrot with mostly green plumage. There can also be a bit of yellow and blue in the wings and their tail feathers.
Military macaws also have a bold red spot on top of their beak.
Native to South America and Mexico, these birds are nearing extinction and they are a protected species in many countries.
Because of its size, the military macaw needs a lot of space to fly around. If you want to keep one as a pet, you’ll need a larger cage than you would for a smaller parrot.
Military macaws have a calm and quiet nature, and they love to be trained. Owners should be aware that these birds can’t be left alone for too long a time period as they can become aggressive.
This parrot species is also, particularly in tune with their owner’s mood, so you need to be mindful of how you behave around them.
The lifespan of a military macaw is around 60 years.
Senegal Parrot
Senegals are home in West Africa and they are considered endangered due to habitat loss which is mainly woodland.
Senegal parrots have green wings together with a bright green chest. They typically also have a gray head with some orange, red, or yellow V-shaped patterns on top of their bellies.
Quieter than most birds, Senegal parrots have a calm and warm temperament. These birds are playful, active, and curious. They enjoy interacting with other animals and humans.
As they are relatively small birds, they can do well even in smaller spaces, such as small houses or apartments.
A big plus with these lovely pet birds is that they tend to make less noise than some other parrot species, so they won’t bother any neighbors.
The lifespan of a Senegal parrot is around 30 years.
Budgerigar
Budgerigar, or budgies, are the most common pet parrots for a very good reason. They are small birds with a short lifespan.
Budgies are relatively cheap to buy and care for. This makes the birds ideal for novices.
Budgies are naturally green, with some patches of yellow on their bodies and heads.
You will also find blue budgies or other colors. However, these are specifically bred for the pet trade, so you will never find a blue budgie in the wild (unless it’s an escapee!).
Budgies may be small but they are clever enough to be trained. They love picking up on words and mimicking them.
The lifespan of budgies is between 5 and 10 years.
Red-shouldered Macaw
Small and stout, red-shouldered macaws are one of the smallest parrots, which makes them also one of the most popular pet birds.
Also commonly called Hahn’s macaws, they are dominantly green in color with plenty of aqua and turquoise feathers on their head.
Their name is suggestive because they have beautiful bright red feathers underneath their wings.
A great advantage of red-shouldered macaws as pets is that they form a strong bond with their owner.
These birds have plenty of personalities and enjoy learning new tricks to entertain themselves and others.
The lifespan of a red-shouldered macaw is between 35 and 50 years.
Maroon-Bellied Conure
Despite their name, the maroon-bellied conure is mainly green in color, with a darker shade of green around the back and the wings.
Its belly is a light green, and underneath its tail, the bird’s plumage is a blend of crimson, purple, and blue.
The maroon-bellied conure usually has two parallel red patches on its lower abdomen.
This pet bird is one of the calmest and quiet types of parrots. This goes hand in hand with their friendly nature.
Maroon-bellied conures love exploring every nook and cranny of your home, and they love being outside the cage for a while.
Their adventure instinct can be an issue for some owners as they are also quite small, so they can hide even in the smallest gap.
This means you will need to keep an eye on them when they are outside of their pen.
The lifespan of a maroon-bellied conure is around 35 years.
Great Green Macaw
The great green macaw has bright green feathers and its forehead is red. Around the lower back and their upper tail, they have pale blue plumage.
The majority of the tail is however brown and red with a gentle blue tip.
They are a rare breed and that’s why you cannot see great green macaws as pets that often. However, they are bred in captivity where they demand a premium due to their rarity in the wild.
In their natural habitat, they usually fly in small groups of eight making a lot of noise. Their noisy nature usually makes them unattractive to owners with thin walls and neighbors close by.
The lifespan of great green macaws is between 50 and 60 years.
Pacific Parrotlet
The smallest parrots in the world, Pacific parrotlets only reach a length of up to 5.5 inches. Their natural habitat is in the tropical rainforests of South America.
The majority of Pacific parrotlets are bright green. However, male parrotlets feature a blue pattern behind their eyes and on their backs.
Color mutations can also occur, resulting in different shades of blue and albino.
Although these colorful birds are only a little, Pacific parrotlets can be rather high maintenance and training.
They need handling every day to tame them. Although they are quite good at keeping themselves busy, they are social birds and don’t want to be on their own.
Similar to some other small parrots, Pacific parrotlets can squeeze into small gaps which can cause injuries, so they do need to be watched when they are out of their cage.
The lifespan of a Pacific parrotlet is between 10 and 15 years.
Male Eclectus Parrot
While female Eclectus parrots are bright red, their male counterparts come in beautiful emerald green with red and blue patches underneath the wings.
Eclectus parrots are particularly playful pet birds and they get on very well with children. Their calm and gentle nature can mean that any loud noises upset them.
This type of bird is large so they do need a lot of space, also because they enjoy being active outside their cage.
The lifespan of a male Eclectus parrot is between 30 and 50 years.
Little Lorikeet
Little lorikeets have a green body with a bright red face which looks like a mask. Their shoulders, the back of the neck, and the tail end feature some yellow patches.
These affectionate birds love the company of humans and they enjoy learning new tricks. This makes these cheeky birds prone to escape their cage, so owners need to keep a watchful eye.
It’s good to know that when little lorikeets share a cage with other birds, especially other lorikeets, they become jealous and territorial.
Some owners also don’t like the shrill sound these birds make quite frequently.
The lifespan of a little lorikeet is between 10 and 20 years.
Indian Ringneck Parakeet
Similar to some other parrot species, the Indian ringneck parakeet has a lime green coat with yellow feathers under the wings. You can also sometimes spot them with blue tail feathers.
Male Indian ringneck parakeets are a lot more colorful. They have black markings on their faces, red beaks, and more coloring around their neck.
Female Indian ringneck parakeets don’t have these colorings.
Generally, these birds are quite nippy and more aggressive than other parrots. This is because they get bored very quickly when they aren’t entertained.
They need plenty of toys, games, and puzzles to keep their mind stimulated. If they don’t get this, they can also start chewing furniture.
However, with the right training, their temperament is usually friendly and sweet which makes them a great pet that can create a strong bond with their owner.
The lifespan of an Indian ringneck parakeet is between 20 and 30 years.
Green-Cheeked Conure
The green-cheeked conure has a whole array of wonderful colors. Their feathers can feature plenty of different shades of green.
But it’s their white, red, and blue patches that can make them an impressive bird to look at.
Green-cheeked conures love spending time with humans, and as they are so affectionate and easy to handle, they are also great birds to train.
Green cheeked conures are ideal for apartment owners with thin walls as these birds are very quiet.
The lifespan of a green cheeked conure is around 30 years.
Painted Parakeet
With one of the shortest lifespans, the painted parakeet can be an ideal beginner bird. Its plumage is mostly green with a brown-red belly.
It also has blue patches on the head and across its body.
Painted parakeets have an unusual scaly breast which makes them look like a reptile.
Their status in the wild means that they are rarely kept in captivity. However, their sweet and quiet nature, combined with a love for playing games, make them a great pet.
As painted parakeets are very active, they do need a large cage that allows them to move freely and gives them plenty of space to have their weekly bath which they enjoy so much.
The lifespan of a painted parakeet is between 5 and 14 years.
Australian Ringneck Parrot
Australian ringneck parrots are one of the few parrots that are almost completely green. They only have a yellow stripe around their neck.
Overall, you’ll find four subspecies of ringneck parrots in Australia. Each has varying degrees of red, turquoise, and yellow coloring in its plumage.
Australian ringneck parrots can usually be found in either small groups or pairs in areas with plenty of trees or woodlands.
With the right care and attention, these birds can become great pets. They also need plenty of playtime with their owner where they can learn new tricks.
If Australian ringneck parrots get bored, they tend to start chewing anything and everything, so you need to make sure you also have some wooden bird toys around to divert their attention.
The lifespan of Australian ringneck parrots is 15 years.
Spectacled Parrotlet
The thing that makes spectacled parrotlets stand out from other green parrots are the blue circles around their eyes, and the rose-colored feet and beaks. The rest of their body is bright green.
One of the smaller parrots, spectacled parrotlet, measures only 5 inches. This small size has made them popular as pocket parrots.
As they are easy to care for and they usually don’t suffer from any health issues, this species of parrot is ideal for bird beginners.
Spectacled parrotlets quickly pick up new tricks, and they are so affectionate that they even burrow in blankets to cuddle with their favorite human.
The lifespan of spectacled parrotlet is between 20 and 30 years.
Scaly-Breasted Lorikeet
Originally from Eastern Australia where it found a home in woodlands, the Scaly-breasted lorikeet has a beautiful blend of green and bright yellow plumage.
It has its name from the reptile-like scale pattern on its chest. The rest of the body is tinged in bright green.
Scaly-breasted lorikeets need a slightly more particular diet, with plenty of fresh fruit and a high-moisture content food.
While this diet is healthy for the bird, it, unfortunately, means that their feces can be watery and messy. That’s why it’s essential to clean after them very frequently to avoid any bacterial build-up and infections.
This makes them extremely high-maintenance birds and not ideal for beginners.
You should try to keep Scaly-breasted lorikeets in single pairs only as they can get aggressive when they live in an aviary with other birds.
The lifespan of a Scaly-breasted lorikeet is between 15 to 20 years.
Thick-Billed Parrot
Thick-billed parrots have beautiful apple green plumage which makes them blend in perfectly in their natural woodland habitat in North Mexico.
A red stripe running along with the wings and around the legs makes them very distinctive. You’ll also find a yellow patch underneath their wings, with the tail’s underside being completely black.
Thick-billed parrots live in small groups with a strict hierarchy in the wild. However, they have become very rare now due to deforestation, the illegal pet trade, and feathered predators.
For this reason, thick-billed parrots are now commonly only seen in zoos.
The lifespan of a thick-billed parrot is around 30 years.
Scarlet-Shouldered Parrotlet
These typically wild parrots have a green body with yellow and brown patches on their heads. Their shoulders are blue and red, although these colors may only be seen when they are in flight.
Scarlet-shouldered parrots live in the wilds of the Southern American rainforests.
They are shy birds and with the loss of their deforested woodland habitat, the numbers of these quiet parrots have dwindled significantly in recent years.
This means that they are not commonly seen in captivity.
The lifespan of scarlet-shouldered parrotlet is around 25 years.
Short-Tailed Parrot
Just as their name suggests, the short-tailed parrot has a stubby tail with its body being bright green. This helps it to hide in the trees along the Amazon River where this parrot species lives.
One of the medium-sized birds, its green feathers does have a slightly lighter color around the wings.
Short-tailed parrots love spending time with their companions in large groups of 50 birds. They are very social animals and can also enjoy the company of other birds in the wild.
Similar to some other parrot species, short-tailed parrots are rare birds in the wild, so hardly ever kept in captivity.
The lifespan of a short-tailed parrot is between 10 to 30 years.
Edwards Fig Parrot
This parrot with beautiful colors lives in the tropical forests of its native Indonesia and North East New Guinea.
Edward’s fig parrots are small, green birds featuring some yellow and blue spots. Their eyes show a blue flash contrasting with a violet-colored horizontal patch on their chest.
Unlike females, male Edward’s fig parrots also have a red breast which shows as early as 10 months old.
These birds aren’t ever seen in captivity, although they do care affectionately for their offspring and each other.
The lifespan of Edward’s fig parrot is around 15 years.
Red-Fronted Macaw
Another parrot species where the name suggests its appearance. The red-fronted macaw stands out with its red patches on the head, ears, and around the wings.
The rest of their body is bright green, which is perfect for hiding in the woodlands of its native habitat in South-Central Bolivia.
Red-fronted macaws are threatened by climate change, the destruction of woodland, and illegal trapping.
This makes them quite rare, although you can still get one with a reputable breeder who has a breeding program that involves not capturing animals from the wild.
As its rarity demands a high price, red-fronted macaws are more commonly found in zoos as part of worldwide conservation programs.
The lifespan of a red-fronted macaw is an incredible 80 years.
Sri Lanka Hanging Parrot
Native to the wilds of Sri Lanka, the Sri Lanka hanging parrot is a small bird with a stubby tail. Its body is bright green with some orange patches around the back.
While the males of this bird species have a red crown, the females only have the typical red rump and bill.
Sri Lanka Hanging parrots typically live on their own or in small groups. They are fast flyers and can produce a distinct whistling sound.
Due to their small sizes, Sri Lanka hanging parrots are easy to catch for predators, such as larger species of other birds. This has significantly affected their population.
Blue-Bellied Parrot
Blue-bellied parrots have their natural home in the Atlantic forest in Brazil. Their long tail shows beautiful green feathers, with the males also featuring a blue patch underneath their belly.
However, female blue-bellied parrots are entirely green. The overall lifespan of blue-bellied parrots is around 12 years.
Unfortunately, this bird species is almost extinct due to deforestation, log cutting, and the illegal pet trade. This makes it impossible to get a blue-bellied parrot from a trusted breeder.
How Many Years Do Green Parrots Live?
The average lifespan of a parrot can vary greatly depending on the breed and its habitat.
As a rule of thumb, smaller parrot species usually also have a shorter lifespan. On the other hand, the larger parrot species can live up to 80 years.
This sometimes means that a parrot can even outlive their owner. For this reason, you must understand how long your pet may be able to live and how much you can commit to it.
When you buy a parrot, you should understand that it will depend on your care and attention for the rest of your life.
Some parrot species even need specialized care, which does not only mean spending more time with your animal but also higher maintenance costs.
How Much Do Green Parrots Cost?
As we already mentioned, if you are interested in giving a green parrot a new home, you need to consider different factors. This also includes not just the purchase price but also ongoing care costs.
With some of the rarer green parrots, such as the military macaw and the thick-billed parrot, breeders ask for a very high price as these birds are difficult to get hold of and breed, due to their conservation status in the wild.
However, you don’t have to go for the rare parrots. There are many fun and social green parrots that love playing games and can even learn to talk.
Final Thoughts
Although green parrots are beautiful animals, not all of these parrots are ideal as pets. It’s important to consider other factors beyond the bird’s appearance.
If you do decide to keep a green parrot as a pet, make sure you provide them with enough space to exercise, play, and explore.
They need attention and time with their owner so as not to get bored.
However, if you choose the right parrot with a temperament that suits your needs, then you are guaranteed to have a loyal, feathered companion for life.
Harlan Derricks, nice to meet you. I created this online resource in the hopes of educating more people about the wonders of parrots, including their species, sizes, and more.
But I don’t just want to stop with parrots. I want to give every bird an opportunity to be marveled at and rescued by my education. If just one of my readers learned something valuable about budgies, cockatiels, or parakeets, then I’d be happy with my success.
