Pacific Parrotlet

Looks how to spot one

Feathered; tiny, compact parrot with a short tail; males and females look different

A very small, sturdy parrot of about 12-13 cm with a short tail and a strong, pale pinkish beak. The wild-type bird is green with a slightly dusty grey tone and a brighter green face. Males are easy to spot: they have a blue streak running back from the eye, a blue rump and blue on the wings, which can range from deep cobalt to soft lavender. Females are plainer green without the blue wing patches, though some show a hint of blue behind the eye or on the rump. Legs and feet are pinkish grey.123

Personality what they are like

Bold, spirited and full of self-confidence. Pacific parrotlets act like much larger parrots, and hand-raised birds that are handled every day become very tame, affectionate companions. They are strong-willed and like to have their own way, so regular, gentle handling keeps them sweet. Some learn a few words, but they are not among the clearest talkers. Their voice is a quick, high 'tchit', and a single pet is fairly quiet compared with most parrots.31

Daily activity how busy a day looks

Moderate to high. Parrotlets are busy and playful, and enjoy swings, boings, and toys they can shred and chew, plus supervised time out of the cage with their people every day.3

Grooming and care the hands-on bits

Low grooming effort. Provide a cuttlebone or other calcium source, clean water for drinking and bathing, and a steady supply of shreddable toys, rotated often. Daily handling helps keep a pet parrotlet friendly.3

Home where they are happiest

A spacious, wide cage with narrow bar spacing of about 1/4 inch (6 mm) so the small bird cannot squeeze through, set up with varied perches, swings and toys. The World Parrot Trust suggests an indoor aviary of at least 1.8 m for keeping them in aviaries. Wild birds live in warm, dry habitats.32

Food basics what goes in the bowl

A pellet-based diet with fresh vegetables and fruit plus some small seeds; grains and greens such as quinoa, millet, oats, broccoli, bell pepper, apple and pomegranate seeds are all suitable extras. Keep rich, fatty seeds as a small part of the menu. In the wild they eat grass seeds, berries, tamarind and cactus fruit.312

Company who they like around

In the wild they travel in noisy, chattering flocks, sometimes of 40-50 birds. As pets they are usually kept one to a cage: a single bird bonds closely with its owner, while a pair tends to focus on each other. They can be territorial with other birds, so any pairing should be done slowly, starting with separate cages side by side and supervised meetings.13

The story where it all began

The Pacific parrotlet was named Forpus coelestis by the French naturalist Rene-Primevere Lesson in 1847. Its genus, Forpus, holds the smallest parrots of the Americas, and even ornithologists do not know where the genus name comes from. The species has lived alongside people for a long time in its native Ecuador and Peru, where it happily uses parks, gardens and farmland as well as dry forest. In the United States a captive breeding population has existed since about 1930, long before international wildlife trade rules limited imports of wild birds, so pet parrotlets there come from many generations of aviary-bred stock. Breeders have since developed more than 30 colour mutations for the pet market.142

Recognised by the official bits

Taxonomy

Described by the French naturalist Rene-Primevere Lesson in 1847; one of nine species in the genus Forpus.1

IUCN Red List

Least Concern. The size of the wild population is unknown.2

Aviculture

Described by the World Parrot Trust as quite common in captivity.2