Table of Contents
Acknowledgments xiii
Introduction xv
1 Introducing Parrots 1
What are parrots? 1
Are cockatoos also parrots? 3
How many kinds of parrot are there? 4
Where do parrots live? 5
What is the current classification of parrots? 12
When did parrots evolve? 13
What is the oldest fossil parrot? 15
2 Form and Function 17
What are the largest and smallest living parrots? 17
What does a parrot's bill tell us about its diet? 20
Do all parrots have the same type of bill? 21
How fast can parrots fly? 23
Are there any flightless parrots? 24
Do a parrot's feathers wear out? 25
Are there any bald parrots? 26
3 Parrot Colors 29
Why are so many parrots green? 29
What causes the colors of parrots? 30
Do parrots see the same colors as humans? 33
What are the benefits of UV vision? 34
Do glowing parrots really exist? 35
Is there a reason for the color patterns of parrots? 35
Are there color differences between males and females? 38
Do a parrot's colors change as they age? 41
Is there much geographic variation in the color of a parrot species? 42
4 Parrot Behavior 46
Are parrots social? 46
Why do parrots form flocks? 50
How do parrots spend their day? 53
How do parrots communicate? 57
How smart are parrots? 64
Can parrots talk? 70
Do parrots play? 73
Do parrots fight? 75
How do parrots avoid predators? 77
5 Parrot Ecology 82
Do parrots migrate? 82
Which geographic regions have the most species of parrot? 87
How many parrot species live in an area? 89
How many parrots live in the Australian desert? 92
How do parrots survive in the desert? 93
Are there parrots in alpine areas? 94
How do parrots survive droughts? 96
Do parrots get sick? 99
Are any parrot species nocturnal? 102
Are parrots good for the environment? 104
Is it true that some moths depend on parrots? 108
6 Reproduction and Development 110
Where do parrots nest? 110
Do parrots nest at the same time every year? 115
Do parrots use the same nest every year? 118
How do parrots reproduce? 120
How many eggs do parrots lay? 121
Are nestlings in a brood all the same age? 125
What proportion of eggs hatch? 127
How fast do parrots grow? 128
Do both parents care for their young? 131
How long do young birds stay with their parents? 132
Do parrots pair for life? 134
Do any parrots have unusual breeding systems? 135
How long do parrots live? 137
7 Foods and Feeding 139
What do parrots eat? 139
Are there any predatory parrots? 143
How much food does a parrot need? 143
Are parrots fussy eaters? 144
How do parrots find food? 146
Why do some parrots eat soil? 147
8 Parrots and Humans 150
Do parrots make good pets? 150
What is the best way to take care of a pet parrot? 152
What should I do if I find an injured or orphaned parrot? 153
How can I see parrots in the wild? 153
Should people feed wild parrots? 155
9 Parrot Problems (from a human viewpoint) 159
Are some parrots agricultural pests? 159
Can parrots be a nuisance in urban areas? 163
Are parrots ever invasive species? 163
Do parrots have diseases and are they contagious? 166
10 Human Problems (from a parrot's viewpoint) 169
Are any parrots endangered? 169
Have any parrot species gone extinct? 173
What is the world's rarest parrot? 176
Will parrots be affected by global warming? 177
Why do people hunt parrots? 178
What impact does the wildlife trade have on parrot populations? 179
Can captive breeding benefit wild populations of parrots? 182
11 Parrots in Stories and Literature 184
What roles do parrots play in religion and mythology? 184
Did any early explorers or naturalists mention parrots in their writings? 186
What roles do parrots play in popular culture? 190
What roles have parrots played in literature? 191
How long have humans kept and bred parrots? 194
12 "Parrotology" 196
Why study parrots? 196
Who studies parrots? 198
Which species are best known? 199
Which species are least known? 201
How do scientists recognize individual parrots? 202
What is being done to save endangered parrot species? 203
What can people do to help parrots? 205
Appendix: Common and Scientific Names of Living Parrots 209
Selected Bibliography 219
Index 231
